COMMENTARY: Crew classification is not black and white

With shelves of championship titles to his name, Dave Ullman continues to race and coach at the highest level. Here Dave offers his take on crew classification…

“What needs to be recognized is that the more competitive the class, the more likely the class rules will be pushed to the limit. And if that class has people able to spend large sums of money to compete, the limit can get squeezed. When classes use the ISAF Classification Code to limit how many professional sailors can be onboard (Group 3 sailors), then that becomes a rule too. But crew type is not black and white, and in the classes that use this regulation, we see some very marginal Group 1 (amateur) crew.”