Oh come on guys.... read between the lines.
The final result matters (probably to parents more then kids) ... so, you play the game using all of the rules on the books and count on the ref to make you a winner. Sailing is now just like any other sport. Working the ref is part of the gamesmanship in the game. The ethos of call your own foul has morphed into call protest and let the ref decide.... So... it is even better when you can shame the OA and PRO into calling the foul for you rather then be accused of violating safety rules.
Good grief Mark you can be a bit dramatic, you never bore me.
First off the ethics of the game haven't changed in the 43 years I've been playing it and if anything they have improved in my opinion. You and I are looking at and playing the same game and seeing it very differently and this is coming from a guy that as a rule doesn't like people.
As for this situation with rule 40 the rules are clear and are being used correctly. The Alter Cup inciedent was many years ago and a lesson was learned and as Matt has demonstrated (even with oldtimers I can remember who writes what Matt) if you put in the proper wording to the required documents using the rules as written it's a non issue.
