So, you have just had a protest called on you or you have just called a protest, now what? To answer both what ifs, I will break it down into two groups.

If a protest called on you, you have to make a decision, were you in the wrong or not. If you admit you have fouled the other boat, it is a simple acknowledgement of the protest and do the penalty turn as soon as it is possible and clear of other boats. If you feel you are not in the wrong, acknowledge the protest and state that you want to take it to the protest committee.

If you are the boat that has been fouled, you may call a protest. If so, do so as soon as you identified the offending boat. Don't wait until the offending boat is further along the course and don't wait until the offending boat has crossed the finished line. If you do call a protest, state your boat's number, then say "Protesting boat" then the offending boat number (for example: "Boat 23 protesting boat 62, boat 23 protesting boat 23."). You need to do this twice and loud enough so the offending boat's skipper can hear it without question.

If a protest is called, what then? If a penalty turn is done or it is going to the Protest Committee, nothing more needs to be said or done! Everyone, I mean everyone must keep their mouths shut from that point on and do nothing and let the Protest Committee take care of it. Any comments, opinions, and actions from anyone are not needed.

One last thing, if you know you have fouled another boat and before a protest is called on you, you can protest yourself and do a penalty turn. It may be asked why you would do such of thing? It is a simple matter of being honest and doing what is right.