Arbitration v Protest

Information for all dinghy racing members concerning protests .
The Sailing Committee is advocating and recommending the any racing incidents be, in the first instance, be heard following a process of arbitration, further to a formal protest hearing if necessary. The benefit of arbitration is that it’s a much faster process but that with both protestor and proteste agreeing to an incident be heard using the process of arbitration, they both agree to formally accept the decision and ruling reached at the hearing . 
Pleased to consider the step-by-step process of arbitration by opening the attached document, very kindly produced by Mark Elkington and please print this off for your future reference - if required . A copy of this document will available in the race box and ten clubhouse .
Remember, the rules are primarily there to avoid and prevent collisions - not to create them . A right of way boat must give way to a boat that has no right of way in order to avoid a collision, should such a boat be unable to avoid a collision or keep clear . 
The rules of racing are also available on the club’s website .
Wishing everyone good racing,  Paul Kelley . 

Thanks for Paul for advertising this proposed approach for simplifying the resolution of disputes.  I intend to produce a much improved version of this flow chart with some supporting notes so that they can be displayed in the members room and the racebox.  The key takeaway is that in any rules dispute the first decision should be to consider the simpler arbitration route first.  Look out for the final version in a few weeks time.

Would be good to hear other views on this.

Mark