Dave Perry

Dave Perry is best known for his book, “Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing,” in which he translates sea lawyer jargon into clear tips for the everyday sailor. First published in 1985, the book brought Perry and his advice into the homes of American sailors. This week, Perry is serving as a walking, talking rulebook at the 2008 Olympic Games in China.

The day after he arrived in Qingdao, Perry was spotted having an intense rules conversation in the village cafeteria and a non-American sailor said, “That guy loves this stuff! He can’t stop talking about it!” That’s a good thing, because 470 sailors Amanda Clark and Sarah Mergenthaler needed help after their first day of racing. They hit the dock and immediately called Perry for protest advice. He said, “We had about a half hour to sort out what happened and what we were going to do about it. It turned out to be fairly complicated situation involving three boats and two protests.”

Perry first started hashing it out with Mergenthaler and then brought in Clark to compare and combine their facts into a complete story. He said, “By the time we got together we got to the bottom of it.” Perry was impressed how seriously they took the process and how maturely they handled the whole thing. Amanda Clark sounds like a perfect pupil saying, “I found it really educational. I learned a lot about what is useful info and what is filler—what you can use to make a strong case.”

Clark says Perry has helped her to present what she calls “a visual conception in rewind.” She was prepared to present her mental snapshot of the events and won the protest. She said of Perry, “I really respect him as a sailor and a rules expert. He does a lot of good things for the sport.”

This is Dave Perry’s first Olympics and he loves it. He says, “I really like to be here with Olympians at the very top of the game. You have to try your hardest to be smart and you really have to be on your game and I love that feeling. I love that challenge.”