[reaperman]

This is generally just a de jure rule, very very rarely put into practice. In the vast majority of races, there are enough motorized “race committee” boats which render aid where needed, so the other racing sailboats wouldn’t be much help and don’t need to stop.

Long-distance coastal or offshore races it would be somewhat more likely as race committee boats generally are only at the beginning and end of the race. But even then, after hailing mayday, a good samaritan motorboat is far more likely to reach you first than one of your sailing competitors.

[plopz]

It's not so uncommon, I was just reading about Kristen Neuschafer and Yannick Bestaven who both rescued fellow competitors in solo races. Both happened in the last couple years.

[reaperman]

In the hundreds of sailboat races I’ve been in, I’ve not seen it happen once. The race committee boats help someone out nearly every other race, but I’ve never seen another racer stop to render aid. It’s not callous, it’s just their help isn’t needed.

It really is very rare. But then so is gutting a moose during a sled dog race.

[gumby]

The rule hardly makes sense for short races where the committee boat is always in view. In long distance blue water races things are different.

[reaperman]

I have done quite a few long coastal and bluewater international races. I do agree with you, but again, the participating sailboats usually get very far apart relatively early on.