The key words here are MARK ROOM, no longer right of way. This was a change in 2009, I believe. It's essentially a technicality and doesn't really change how we really play the game.
That is correct. In the previous rules, if rule 18 conflicted with a rule of Section A, then that rule no longer applied. In the current rule 18, the part A rules still apply, but a boat entitled to mark-room is exonerated for breaking them.
This was done because the change of right-of-way at the mark confused a lot of people. The authors of the new rules took pains to change the game as little as possible, and although I still have some misgivings about the new wordings, I'm growing more comfortable with them.
Regards,
Eric
