When I mentioned bullying, unsportsmanlike conduct and rules ignorance, I wasn't referring to the starts. I saw that at the finishes - especially towards the people coming in from the left (on port tack) who were entitled to room at the pin, but who were shut out by people screaming "starboard!" This was the result:

After hitting the pin, spinning us sideways and causing a conflagration (boat 21 was forced wide and lost 10 boats getting back), boat 13 just sailed to the beach without doing anything (protesting the boat that forced her into the mark, a circle, refinishing). I had had enough and protested her - she gave a lame excuse for not protesting the other boat and was DSQ'ed in that race. The "bumper boat" mentality needs to stop.