nofoulies

Yep. I certainly blew that.. I think you're right. A lot less thought can go into "no" than will go into a "yes". Isn't that the way things are going these days, anyway?

Y'all are right. I'd hate to see it in an NOR or SI, but I don't think that anyone's advocated that.. Only, like TJ said, to the health authorities. The point of this is to get the marine departments/health authorities, etc. to allow us to race. I can't imagine that yacht clubs or race organizers are interested in policing more weird rules. The rules are complex enough already.

Why would this be stupid? A person taking the responsibility for his own boat and crew? Doesn't he/she do that anyway, every time they take their boat out with their crew? I think a lot more judgement errors are probably made when taking inexperienced crews out into bad conditions on shoddily maintained vessels. If a skipper/captain isn't willing to do this, he's probably not interested in sailing anyway. I know as sailors, we all like to believe (as I do) that we're all responsible for our own safety at whatever level we choose to practice it, but the racing rules and (I believe, please correct me) the law says that skippers bear that responsibility. Here's stupid.... Where I sail (location and names responsible deliberately withheld in the interest of not making this silly situation worse) the public launch ramp is open for all. The bay is open for all. Any boat in the water is allowed to do whatever activities they normally engage in. The yacht clubs can use their dinghy ramps. But the hoists are absolutely off limits by order of the Marine Department. We know that racing is going to take some time to return. But to limit use of a small fraction of boats because of how they access the water? I can't get my head around how that reasoning works. Powerboats holding 10 people are backed down the public ramp every 5 minutes (one boat on the ramp at a time). A boat hoisted into the water that holds 2-5, though, is unacceptable and dangerous. Please, flame away. I'm very open to changing my mind on both of these points if there's something i'm overlooking.

Guys, we need something to put the last half sandwich in..

Yep, you have the possibility of winning an appeal on the timely display of a flag and hail. PC was wrong. If someone isn't injured and/or in the water, 15 min isn't reasonable. Based on your knowledge of the rules, and only hearing your side of the story, I'd wager that you knew you broke a rule. Insert well known Paul Elvstorm quote here.