That being said Port always yields to Starboard Leeward or not.
Except when a port tack boat is entitled to mark room from a stbd tack boat; they are exonerated for making the stbd boat give way per Rule 18.5.
That situation happens frequently at the left-hand (looking upwind) gate mark.
But room at the mark and becoming the ROW boat are 2 different things.Port gets room not rights.
I don't follow you. When you enter the 3 boat length circle on port at the left gate (looking upwind) you have inside overlap on starboard and are the right of way boat at that time.
I agree with Dave Ingram - a suprising number of old salts don't understand this and when you bellow 'room' that start hollering 'starboard', then 'protest'.
