Back to Tom's original thread question.., should there be limits.
As you can see this whole mess was because there were limits. Had there not been, no redress, no bad decisions.

Universally, we all know that the more legislation, the less freedoms. Please review my previous post on the debacle at the Tornado Nationals. Had they not legislated all those rules, I would have abandoned the race.

They legislated and as RC I had to comply. Result? A screwed up race. Had there not been that legislation, the race would have been abandoned.

Placing rules is not the answer to a fair major event.., rather getting a competent PRO to make good decisions.

If every bad decision made by a PRO in a major event needed legislation, where would be now?
Remember?
1) TheMightyHobie18 Nationals in big seas and wind, the RC put the leeward mark right in the surf -- took out most of the fleet.
2) Same Nationals where it was a Windward/Leeward course. Most of the fleet went around the wrong mark that the RC had negligently left in the water, ten sailed the proper course. Most were given a penatly of 11 points (a keeper in a Nationals) instead of the number of starters plus one (or around 60 points) that really screwed up the results. It turned out to be a penalty to the ones that did it correctly.
3) Hobie 20 Nationals in the Florida Panhandle that was started in big winds and seas and took out half the fleet (RC said they were not good sailors, although many were past champions)

When there are problems, legislation is NOT the answer. Common sense is the answer -- just get a common sense, experienced PRO.

Although, that may be more difficult in the future. For example, I really have no desire to work with the Tornadoes again, and Mark may not want to work with the F18s again.
Rick