Protest Article

Road Rage. Is there any more stupid behavior? It's not just anger. 
It is not just disgust. It is rage. People shooting each other, ramming
there cars together, hysterical gestures, and for what, a few seconds
less in traffic? 

Some of us endure the indignities of traffic so that we may enjoy the
simple pleasure of sailboats. These graceful, elegant machines inspire
the finest qualities in people. The wide open sky and broad stretches
of pristine water provide wondrous settings for the congenial competition
of racing. The sport is also rich in ancient traditions that reflect
the charm and beauty of sailing. These traditions permeate every aspect
of our game. They provide the ethic for the rules as well as setting
a high standard of behavior for contestants and race officials alike.

I was recently at a very competitive one-design regatta where they were
using gates instead of a single leeward mark. The concept of a gate is
to alleviate pressure as the fleet condenses at the bottom of a run. 
There is less turmoil if a gate offers an another option. In this case
one of the gate marks had been dragged by a competitor in a previous fleet.
Unknown to the race committee, or any one in our fleet, the marks were
now so close together as to allow for only two boats to pass between them,
two boats, but not two boats and a bumper between them. It just so happens
that I found myself right smack in the middle of five boats trying to
sail into that place where only two would fit. We all saw it coming,
but none of us wished to allow the others any advantage. What happened
next can only be described as "road rage". I wish that I could report
that I did not partake in the exchange of exotic language that followed,
but I can not. I don't think anyone heard me though because the other
four teams were also engaged in their own cacophony of abuse. It was
one of those, not so rare, moments when everyone was talking, screaming
really, and no one was listening. In the end the jury couldn't pin a
rule infringement on any of our sorry group so the entire race was scuttled.


That was my first introduction to this particular jury. I was later to
be reintroduced two more times neither by my own volition. Now it is
possible that my perspective was flawed. Maybe I was in violation of
certain rules, but the jury in both these cases saw fit to vindicate me.
The upshot was that I spent almost as much time defending my position
in the protest area as I did sailing in the six races of the series. 
Granted most of the defense time was spent waiting for the numerous other
protests to be settled, but it still amounted to a lot of worthless time
for my antagonist the witnesses, the jury, and me. During the many hours
of waiting I became aware of the facts surrounding the other protests.
I was struck by how minor, or obvious some of the infringements were,
and how numerous. I estimate that close to 50% of the fleet found their
way to that protest area within those three days. 

For what it's worth I have learned that protests do have a valid place
in this game. But the best sailors, the people who have developed extraordinary 
skill are the least likely to be involved in protests. Why is that?
Is it because they are never wrong, or wronged? Unlikely, it is because
they know which battles are better settled on the water. They have the
self-confidence to ignore minor infractions and stay focused on the big
picture. Protests can be very distracting and they can create ill will
between competitors. Grudges tend to escalate. It is also much more
enjoyable to win regattas on the water as opposed to relying on a jury.

Road rage is not specific to a particular type of boat, or class of people.
No one is immune to the emotion or the effects, but some people find themselves
in more than their fair share of disputes. A few words from me won't
stop rabid protest hounds, but the next time I am late for the start and
find myself stopped in traffic behind a Newport tour bus backing down
a one way street the wrong way and spewing noxious diesel exhaust into
my window I will probably not refrain from gesturing not so politely to
anyone who delays me. But I will try to leave the home spun traffic etiquette
on the road and off the water where it belongs. 


Geoff Moore
Shore Sails Ltd.
7 Merton Road
Newport, RI 02840
401-849-7700
fax) 401-849-7952
gmoore@shoresails.com
www.shoresails.com