I just hate seeing tax dollars spent looking for those people who were wholely unprepared for any type of expedition (climbing, sailing, diving, hiking, etc).

Prudence on the part of organizers is warranted. How do you properly 'vett' a sailor for an offshore race? Just being offshore?

Being that part of this course will be out of sight of any landmass, is there any required test of navigation?

How about first aid? MOB? CPR?