Eric
This is becoming a semantic argument on the meaning of terms "cheat" and "blame".

Obviously, I am not bent out of shape at the catch 22 necessity to nullify the US Sailing prescription. The class I sail in does not have a problem with this nullification. As a judge, it would be inappropriate for you to agree with any move to nullify one of the rules.

I reject the use of the loaded words of "cheat and blame".



You say cheat... I say the class (or 100 percent of the sailors in the class in the last three years that I have encountered in the class) ignores that prescription and chooses not to enforce that rule. The term would be nullify.

I use the word cheat to mean that I seek an advantage through some shady or unethical means or breaking a rule to gain an advantage. When there is no advantage gained or lost I believe the term cheat is mis applied. Ignored or nullified would be a better word.

You suggest that I am blaming an individual who chooses to ignore the class culture and file a protest based on this prescription. The word blame to me means that I assign some misplaced moral judgment on the individual and defer some of my responsibility to the individual filing this protest.

I would say that I have identified an individual who was uninformed about the class culture with respect to this prescription. He was essentially ignorant of this unwritten rule. I don't blame that individual. I chose to not follow the rule and follow the class culture. I am clear that I accept responsibility and am not shifting any of that to the protesting individual.

I would assign BLAME to someone who was NOT ignorant of the class unwritten rule and used the Class 4 rule as a weapon to get a win in the jury room in defiance of years of class history. I can't say he would be cheating, he is exercising the letter of the rule ... I would blame him for his unsportsmanlike behavior in getting a win this way.

My statement about changing the class or change classes is simply a practical course of action when the culture is in doubt

With respect to regattas and PRO's.
Just like I don't return to regattas that don't spell out the class splits before hand because in my opinion they don't demonstrate good judgment or follow the guidelines for an official notice of race. I would not choose to return to a club that chooses to have their PRO go out of the way to challenge the class culture on this rule.

I take responsibility for my nullification of the Sailing prescription... the PRO takes responsibility for people not showing up the next year. I would not use the word blame to describe this turn of events. I would use the word accountability.