An even better way to go learn these rules is to judge team racing, or at least fly the flags on a judge boat. Really really high level team racing requires all boats to have 110% certainty on the rules and the skippers will be calling overlaps in real time.

This thread has been valuable I think to all involved, and at least for me will prove beneficial this weekend while racing in a 40 boat fleet with pro's and automatic scoring penalties in place of doing turns.

I think it is very important to leave emotion out of rules discussions and most everyone on this thread is guilty of that to some extent, and I have been in the past. Learn the process, learn how to file a protest and don't be afraid to go in the room ever. Even if you loose a race you will gain valuable knowledge.

It also pays to know who the rules experts are in your fleet and ask them questions.