My understanding was that the old rule defined the two boat length circle as the point where your rights became set. Your obligations as the burdened boat did NOT begin at this point. IE... you suddenly had to make a hole. Your burden was ever increasing as you approached the two boat circle. They argued that there should be no surprises when you hit the two boat lenght circle forcing you to take a dramatic action to make the hole.

In reading the rules now... the new definition is the Zone which is now three boat lenthgs. It sounds like the burden on port has not been decreased... just moved a bit further out. Port must still prepare and give room at the zone. Moreover... Port cannot determine that Starbord only gets... XXX feet of hole.. starbord has a good deal of freedom to sail HER proper course and not have to fit into the boat lenght and 1/2 of room that Port thinks starbord will need.

Besides... What would prevent outer most port from preparing and giving room to the inside boats and starboard? (ignorance of the rule is no excuse). It would be a very rare instance... eg an obstructin... like a capsized boat. Its very much like a port starbord cross... Ports burden is always there... it did not suddenly come into play.. In fact the rules limit starbords options so that port has every opportunity to keep clear... ie no hunting by starbord.

I don't see the situation changing with the new rule. Port boats have to start making the hole for starbord to jibe and round as starbord sees fit... if port and starbord are expected to get to the same place and time ...This means that EVEN if the outer most port boat will cross ahead of starbord... He will STILL hve to make the hole for all of the port boats on his hip calling for room. This obligation does not suddently occur as he crosses into the zone.. It's been in place for as long as Starbord has been outside the zone claiming his rights and room.

Now... I don't think that Starbord can obtain rights by jibing onto starbord at the zone... in this instance.... All of the port boats had no expectation that starbord would be there... So... in this case... starbord will not win the protest for room that all of port won't give him.....