Following the presentation by Dick Rose on Saturday at the AGM for the Gulf Yachting Association, I heard bar talk regarding a "White Shark Rule" that is being investigated and considered. An example in context for this forum could be the scenario of a catamaran going over during a buoy race. The crew is having difficulty righting the cat, and a 'safety' boat offers assistance by lifting the mast out of the water to right the vessel. The team continues racing to the Finish Line.

Currently, the automatic ruling would dictate a DNF. This new approach that Mr. Rose mentioned would allow the RComm boat to render assistance without penalty as long as the act did not give the rescued boat any "advantage or gain" over the other competitors.

The dark side of this might be that if multiple boats are struck down by the same windline and a boat is late in receiving assistance, there could be grounds for material prejudice.

The bright side scenario is that RComms will endeavor to add a safety boat or two for the regatta, and the youth sailors would not be penalized for trying. Even the 'seasoned' sailors would not be penalized for receiving the assistance.

In other sports, athletes can be taken out and then returned for action during the game. Why should sailing athletes be penalized when the time factor already limits their chances?

Why should we use assistance as a penalty?