SAILING RULES OF THE SEA: THERE USED to be an unwritten golden rule in sailing that underpinned the entire sport. To many, the rule was so obvious that to speak of it might be considered rude. But times have changed and anecdotal evidence suggests the tenet is under threat.

The rule varies but is generally presumed in the relationship between the racing yacht-owner who is fortunate enough to afford the high cost of purchase and running overheads, and the willing and able crew that completes the package. It’s a social contract that spoils the argument that sailing is restricted by expense – one person undertakes the cost and offers an opportunity to others for no more than a solemn commitment to turn up.

If an owner invited a crew-member to sail on-board for a season, it was understood this meant a full commitment. A small or mid-sized racing yacht might sail with a crew of six to 10 people, so a six-month season might require a crew pool of up to 20 regulars to allow for family commitments and work duties.

And there can sometimes be fringe benefits as well, such as in the more exotic racing fleets, typically the bigger boats of Class Zero where a curious blend of friendship and fealty exists, and the costs to owners can spiral into hundreds of thousands of euro. While pro sailors receive a wage, the talented amateurs on-board are often transported, clothed, fed and watered during the event.

Even without such perks, the rule holds true down the scale to club and local level. Any financial outlay is typically limited to personal wet-weather gear and chipping in towards an annual crew social where the owner is a special guest, or some similar gesture.

Participating in a racing-yacht crew is surely cheaper than supporting a Premiership football team. Yet it is widely accepted that a shortage of crew exists in the sport.

Although this might be taken as meaning a shortage of people interested in sailing, it may be more correct to say there is a shortfall of people who accept the full obligation of their commitment. Instead of cherishing the opportunity, some “crew” appear to opt for occasional appearances as the norm rather the exception.

With regular team-work at stake, an inevitable chain-reaction begins that leads to less practice followed by reluctance to attempt more difficult techniques – just count the number of boats flying spinnakers when winds freshen above light airs at a typical regatta.

As the need for safety is paramount, owner-skippers opt out of more competitive techniques as witnessed by the growth in white-sails (or non-spinnaker) fleets and poor RRS (Racing Rules of Sailing) knowledge, both acknowledged to be a result of skilled crew availability. More anecdotal evidence also suggests an increase in man-overboard incidents.

Despite the recession, the fact stands that sailing is one of the great free sports – freedom of the open seas plus free cost of participation. With a national fleet numbered in the hundreds and in an era when people are more likely to be time rich and cash poor, there’s no excuse for crew shortages.