One way to approach this is to break it down in terms of what we are trying to accomplish: Train newbies? Reduce liability? Ensure practice?
1. Train newbies? If so, perhaps skills sessions and a mentoring program is the way to go.
2. Reduce WT liability? If so, signed statements as Karank suggests - although I would beware teaching #1 above, as that to me screams liability: "But they said they would teach him everything he needs to know"
3. Ensure practice? "True" Tribers take this seriously, and although those like myself may get lazy/time crunched, this last EC for us reinforces the need for extreme practice. Clear statements saying it is required to have practiced disaster recovery drives home the point. A required minimum Derby points might help, nature will provide better scenarios than we could male up. I would also suggest a required 60+ mile overnight. Making Saturday the end of week will be helpful for Derby.
In my personal oponion, requiring people to demonstrate this or that skill should not be necessary. I will take on whatever filter Chief puts in place, but as Iszatarock points out, "What about waves?" And then there is dark. And alligators, sharks, pythons, jet skis - this event is dangerous. You cannot practice it all, as Whitecaps points out at some point you have to begin learning from your successes.
Maybe it is more appropriate to require a plan. Karank knows his hull will survive any trauma - I would not ask him to cut his boat in half to practice it, but he has a disaster recovery plan. He has thought it through and made adjustments accordingly. To me, that is the point. Sure, your boat has bulkheads - but what if? Sure you can roll your kayak back up fully loaded - but what if? What if your rudder breaks? What if you pitch-pole your mast? What if you are separated from your boat? We all should have a plan - our survival judgement will guide us in what we need to practice and how. And in the end, Darwin is the Big Chief.
Just my 2 cents over coffee.
