OK: Say you are heading to a gate close behind two boats that you are very close to in the regatta. Those two go into thier roundings and there is lots of contact and no one calls protest. You know there was a foul and if either one of those boats has to do a circle you would pull ahead of them in the regatta (maybe getting you a top 5 or 10). I have seen this happen many times and usually someone near by will start yelling that someone owes a circle. Do you, as the one closest, who saw it happen but is unsure who was wrong then protest both under rule 18?, rule 2? This could cause resentment. Thoughts??
Strictly speaking, You should immediatly hail "Protest", and (if required) promptly display a protest flag. The preamble to the rules says that competitors are expected to both "follow and enforce" the rules. If the boats made contact, then someone broke a rule. That boat (and maybe both) is(are) expected to follow the rules and take a penalty. As a competitor who witnessed the infraction, you are expected to enforce the rules, and protest (I'd suggest protesting under rule 14 "Avoiding Contact" if you are unsure about what other rules may have been broken).
As a practical matter, you may decide not to protest. It's a hassle and you won't win any friends. Other people may resent you for it and you might not like the reputation you could get. There's also some risk going into a protest hearing - you never know what the outcome might be.
Personally, I tend to protest when fouled, and I take my penalty when I foul someone else. That's just part of playing the game by the rules. Others feel that calling "protest" is like accusing someone of cheating. They'd rather just sail away than give offense. As with most things, the right choice depends on the circumstances. You have to use your best judgement. At the club level, most people overlook minor bumping, but at the Nationals, you'd better watch out.
Regards,
Eric
