This is somewhat peripheral to the discussion, but I wonder if perhaps an option could be considered in terms of those who "offered outside assistance" or some such. WHAT IF instead of a DSQ, which means that the person didn't actually "do" the race and earn their belt buckle, the possibility existed to give a competing boat a 96 hour time penalty (4 days)? That would pretty much guarantee that the boat would finish last in the fleet, but they would complete the race.
A lot of us spend tens of thousands of dollars to do this race (RACE not RALLY, no matter how relaxed many of us are about the racing aspect of it) and to functionally deny the satisfaction of finishing to someone who may have offered assistance in all good spirit seems kind of brutal.
This is kind of silly, but I personally don't wear the buckle I was given in 2004. It's in my chest of drawers at home, wrapped in tissue paper, waiting for me to return from the 2008 SHTP. You see, I STARTED the 2004 SHTP, but I didn't FINISH it and in my mind that means I didn't earn it. To DSQ someone from the race denies them the point of finishing the race, and earning the buckle. IMHO. Finishing last is finishing last but you FINISH, there's a BIG difference.
Anyway, just a thought.
A couple more thoughts:
Offering physical assistance during the race when the person requesting assistance is not in life-threatening or boat-threatening danger should not result in the person getting redress. It MIGHT result in a 96-hour penalty depending on the situation. When the danger IS life-threatening or boat-threatening, then redress should be considered.
Requesting assistance in life threatening or boat-threatening situations could result in a DSQ, but at that point being DSQ'd from the SHTP is pretty small potatoes compared to the alternative. You know...like dead or floating in your liferaft. Besides, if you lose the boat you're not DSQ'd, you DNF'd, which is technically different. Requesting assistance in a non life-threatening or boat-threatening situation is a DSQ or 96-hour penalty depending on the decision of the RC.
Regarding situation #3 where a boat slowed down to accompany another boat who was disabled from loss of both primary rudder and backup rudder...
There are more important things in this world than belt buckles. Respect and honor are two of them. If that skipper judged that the skipper of the disabled boat was potentially in danger, and put his own race on the line to make sure that the other man got to shore alive and well, then he can have MY belt buckle, because he sure as hell has my respect. I know both the skippers and I can tell you that I was mighty glad to hear that the skipper of the non-disabled boat stood by *just in case*. If he hadn't, we might not be having this discussion, we might be talking about what to do when a competitor is disabled... is there a penalty for sailing past him and keeping going?
1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"