Circa 1988, We staged the Hobie 18 Nationals at Key Sailing on Pensacola Beach as a warm - up event for the Alter Cup in Fort Walton.

Picture Carlton with a big boa wrapped around his neck and shoulders. Kirk, eventually had to lose the snake because of the rat population which quickly grew since they were the favorite food for the snake.

The course outlay for the regatta was close to the beach and Quietwater Pier in an early attempt at "stadium viewing." Due to the prevailing weather system port tack into the leeward mark was the favored lane.

By 3 AM one morning we had thrown out a starboard tacker for running into three boats coming in on port tack. He asked me what I would have done in his case.

I replied, "since I was already overstanding, I would have gybed on to port and become the inside boat at the mark."

Starboard tack does not always prevail in a jury deliberation. Do not push it... the poor fellow on starboard knocked two boats out of the regatta, and there was much work to do on one of the boats for the upcoming Alter Cup. Of course; that gentleman lost his deposit and had to become entangled with his insurance company.

Do not push it... knowledge of the rules and common sense go a long way to protect one from self inflicted horror and costly lack of good judgment.

Most recent case: Aberdeen and Groupama - Extreme Sailing Series, Singapore

Key West: A gate mark boat was struck by four J 80s in one rounding - I wonder what role the overlaps, tacks, and boat location might have been... The mark boat operator was slow to react.. I would like to see the outcome of that redress, if there was one.

"The further ahead you look, the further ahead you get."

Bert