A few years back, I was sailing against the SF yacht clubs top guns in the one-tonner series they used to host. I was an 'out of towner', didn't know the terrain so to speak and was there to skipper a boat our club had qualified, but the owner couldn't sail; and didn't even know most of my crew.
We took the start and windward leg after a furious taking duel with a hot boat that even had an 'afterguard'. (coupla guys standing next to the skipper, giving him advice) At the top mark that boat ran at me like he was gonna cut me in half. I had the right-of way, hollerd "STARBOARD!" and gave him not an inch... but at the last second; ducked under his transom to avoid the collision.
I put up the protest rag; continued the duel from second place till a favorable wind shift caught me first.. and went over the finish line about a 1/3 boatlength ahead of him.
Turns out the 'afterguards' were Tommy Blackaller and Dennis Conners. The race committe was very annoyed I'd hoisted a protest pennant.. seems folks don't 'protest' what those aces do 'on their course'. I withdrew the protest.. and later that evening at the mixer I was approched by Blackaller.
I asked him why he pulled that port side barge at the first mark and he said "Figured you knew who we were... and if you did; you'd duck. If yah didn't we'd a been on the new boat 3 races sooner, and we wouldn't be gettin your dirty air any more. Protest or not; you'd be outta the series, and SF's #2 boat woulda taken the race. Oh. Just so you know, if we'd a won that race; the committee woulda tossed the protest. Nice race; kid. See yah out there tomorrow."
I caved... and finished the series in 4th... not my boat; my responsibility was the saftey of my crew, and finishing the series with the owners boat intact.
I learned a coupla things that day tho.
1. You'll never know how good you are, or how good your teamates are if you don't compete against the best.
2. Never assume the rules were writtin for everybody.
3. Competition destroys gods.
