"I have to be governed by black and white rules on things like wind limits. I wasn't prepared to go into this competition with the chatter that came out of AC34 with calling off in light winds, in heavy winds and being accused of ruining people's Cups. So for me, it's a black and white decision," said Murray.
"I have campaigned in discussions with all teams, for the last two years to lower the wind limit. Finally on June 2 [2016], I changed the protocol with their unanimous agreement to the rules are now.
"The big change of what I recommended was we went from a one-minute average to a 30-second average and we added a sampling period, rather than whatever the wind is at three minutes to the start, where it was just bang one shot at the dartboard."
The regatta director has the ability to call racing off if he believes the crew's safety is at risk, but Murray said this threshold was not met yesterday.
He added that ultimately, the decision to participate in a race, or continue racing rests with the teams themselves.
"It is the responsibility of the teams to bring boats and crew to the competition that can handle the wind strengths that they have nominated," he said.
Murray also questioned whether Team NZ's frantic late swap-out of their wingsail after sustaining damage shortly after entering the course yesterday, was prudent. He claimed Team NZ were racing with their "sacred wing" they had been preserving for the possible Cup showdown with Oracle.
"Team New Zealand damaged their lower section of the wing, they returned to the dock doing 44 knots. They changed their wing from their reserve wing, to their race wing, which they were preserving for the America's Cup and expedited their return to the race course to race two more races - it was a decision made by Team New Zealand to take their best and sacred wing to the race course."
Murray's anger appeared to be directed at comments from New Zealand yachting commentator Peter Lester made to Radio Sport yesterday.
"In my mind [the wind speed] was above the upper limit, the boats shouldn't have been racing," said Lester.
"When we were briefed before the regatta, Iain made it very clear to us he has the final say and, of course, safety comes into this.
"Clearly, today, the safety of the crew was really compromised. Our guys dodged a bullet, there are one or two bumps and bruises, and a few stitches, but someone could have been really badly hurt.
"The regatta has got off lightly."
***
Under the protocol that governs this edition of the America's Cup, wind range for racing is an average speed of 6-24 knots.
The wind readings are taken on the race committee boat during the five minute window from eight minutes before the start of the race, until three minutes before the start. The average is measured over rolling 30-second blocks.
If at any point during the sampling window the wind dips below six knots, or creeps above 24, the clock is re-set and they try again. Regatta director Iain Murray reported in one of last month's practice racing days, there were 25 attempts to start a race.
But once a race has started, the race committee are "obliged to finish it". So if the wind picks up and is gusting well above the upper wind limit, there's no requirement to call off the race.
Murray does, however, have the discretionary power to call off a race if he deems the conditions to be unsafe for the crews, but he said this generally only occurs if the sea state is particularly rough.
