I don't see the link dave..
But... I agree with your point that starbords actions in changing course beyond headers and lifts is breaking the rule ... and Starbord has to call foul on themselves when they do this. (hunting is right up there with Onus in terms of misunderstood tho... cue Eric)
You and others call it a grey area because people are again arbitraging the rules... and the practice persists.
So, Port has recourse to hail protest on that one.... again... nothing more then a second bite at the apple for Starbord ... the burdened boat in that part of the RRS.
The RRS of sailing are set up for calling your own fouls... All of the gamesmanship, arbitraging the rules, intimidation, etc that are part of almost every other game I play don't work in sailing because I have to call the foul on myself.
I want to emphasize one of eric's statements.
If P fails in that obligation, then Boat S (starboard) is expected to protest (see rules 60 and 61).
IMO, cat sailors don't like this idea ... Responsibility to protest... and SO avoid protesting like the plague! The game does not work well if we don't remind the burdened boat to call their own fouls. YMMV.
When the system is working well.. The crosses in the game are fast safe, and reliably close.
Funny story, a friend of mine heads to Europe as crew on Tornado with an elite helm as a partner... At every close cross... he is yelling starbord, at the french, russian, german whatever, etc etc... others described it as he was looking for the chance to protest...a bit of arbitraging the rules for his advantage... a certain exuberance (as was his nature) for the rule book... Off the water, He was not so politely told to SFU, the pro's know the rules. He shut up and figured out the culture of the T fleet..where for the most part they play by the spirit of the rules ... The fleet culture was established long ago by port calling their own and starbord calling protest as they should do under the RRS.
PS.... there is a huge difference between breaking the rules and cheating.... I have never put Jake into the cheating camp. We disagree on the interpreting the rules and the behavior required by the rules.