"If someone is trying to "beat the system... it will most likely not be protested... It is the old saying, argue with an idiot and you start to look like one too."

While it's hard to disagree with that last statement, this is the attitude that slowly kills events. When people get tired of rules not being enforced, they may stop coming to regattas.

First, this sounds great, however history has shown the opposite. Not because I do not agree with the statement you made, I wish it were true. The reason has to do with "most people", will avoid conflict. That is all. If people don't act as they should, then others will just leave simple as that. My history also goes back to the wonder years of Hobie's..I had 16' 18's and still have a 33 and an 18. I sat on protest committees when Hobie fleets had 350 boats to a regatta. I sat on one committee that had to hear 8 protests from one guy alone.. Yes, it would have been good if that was just making it fair for everyone...reality was quite different.
My point is, what you are saying is a good goal...however, it will take the better sailors "talking" to the people getting out of line to create the proper atmosphere. If you wait for protest committees to solve your problems for you..just look around and ask your self again why no one is showing up??
It goes back to playing any game. If you are not will to pay the game straight, why play at all. There are people out there all over the place that have not learned this. There are many other people who are trying to get their entire world view of themselves on the out come of a sailboat race...winning is all that matters...or some variation to that...
Bottom line is this is a game. If we can't play it straight, who is winning and who is really losing? Protest committees are not solving these problems and never will. That is what most have figured out is all I am saying. That does not mean we do not need good protest committees. We should and they should be used...the real solution is a little more than that... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />