Rules are there to provide an even playing field and some degree of safety. More importantly they provide the rough framework from which you should develop the tactics you employ on the race course.

Rules are not a sword but a shield as has been pointed out many a time. Unfortunately there are those who try to use rules to generate situations. This is supposed to be fun for 99% of us and these are the guys who can ruin that experience and usually are the ones then creating those “dangerous” situations. From Pepin’s post earlier, I would not want to be on the water with either of those involved. 1) The guy who comes in off the water and his first question is about protesting….. 2) the leeward boat being passed by a much faster spin boat rounding up is losing ground and keeping the faster boat in his air for longer – he needs talked to as he potentially made a dangerous situation that was tactically a bad move as well rights or not.

Anytime there is another boat on the water, and that includes the random spectator, you should be prepared to maneuver to avoid conflict, even if you are in the right. I have seen almost as many bad moves becoming dangerous by people with rights as by people without, whether it is from ignorance or bad boat handling skills. If you cannot handle your boat properly, you should not place yourself in a situation where there could be damage, even if you have “rights” according to the rules. (And yes you can tack a spin boat with the spin up single handed, – I do not recommend it for the stress it entails or the potential damage to the sail though)

When I first started racing, a couple of the local hot shots were talking around the fire and one of the things they said really strikes home here. They said they could always tell who of the new sailors were going to be good just buy the questions they asked. Those that came off the water and asked about rigging and rules were not ever going to present a challenge on the water. Those that came in after a race and asked questions about tactics would be winning races very quickly.

Rules or not you need to know how to recognize it before it is a “situation” and avoid it to your advantage.