Advertising via sail numbers? 55

 

a) it's a stupid rule so we shouldn't be taking notice of it anyway,

 

or

 

b) it's only a handicap event, the rules don't matter so much as they would in a class event.

 

The world is full of bloody stupid rules; I have a car that will easily do 140mph but some jobsworth has decided that if I go over 70mph then I'm a very naughty boy.  And if I stop in the wrong place then I've broken another rule and have to be punished with a parking ticket.  Whether I personally support these rules or not is irrelevant; the point is that they apply to everyboy and even I'm not an exception.

 

If a class rule is wrong, outdated or simply illogical then it's up to the class to change it, not some commercial supplier.  And if a member of that class knowingly breaks the class rules then in my opinion he should be penalised, not only by the organisers of the handicap race in question but also by his own class association; it's their rules he has flouted and their class he has now publicly brought into disrepute.  A six-month suspension from class racing ought to do it.

 

Much earlier in this thread somebody commented that we shouldn't be bothering with such stupid rules when the sport is dying on its feet - or words to that effect.  If the sport is dying on its feet then it's because too few people are joining it at the bottom of the ladder.  Personally I can't think of anything better calculated to put someone off taking up a sport if they see straight away that those much further up the ladder are not held to the same standard of rules observance that they themselves are obliged to agree to. 

Good find, and I acknowledge I'm clearly in the minority who think these events don't count for much and should really just be looked at as a bit of fun for fellow nutters sailing 'off season'.  

Someone who thinks differently should probably tweet him and ask for his response for the veiled accusation of being a cheat... if they really think these events and the SJ series are that important.  I know I would if this were a class event in discussion, if it were a Championship I'd even consider the Protest option... but not for a little insignificant charity pursuit race.

The fact that no one has, or no one does protest, is kind of supporting my view that the events really (and rightly) aren't be taken too seriously by the vast majority of folks entered; even if the vocal minority posting here don't want to accept that or begrudgingly hide it behind a concern that they don't want to be the 'unpopular' rules-is-rules, health and safety inspector caricature that such action would inevitably depict.

 

I guess anyone concerned enough to boycott should add Gul Performance Apparel to their list too.