Regarding the ferry...

I can speak from my experience at the ACWS in Newport (from aboard a weather mark boat). I would assume the rules are the same, or very similar, as those events were very much test beds for the RC.

There is an outer perimeter, marked by stake boats. These are large (typically monohull) sailing yachts, anchored and flying large red flags. These are set an hour or two prior to race time, based on the expected wind direction and strength, and the best guess for how the course will be set that day.

All normal spectator boats (and non-AC traffic) is required to remain outside of this outer perimeter. It is enforced by marshal boats (small power boats), and for large traffic, the Coast Guard.

VIP boats operate inside of this outer perimeter, and are essentially only limited by the actual course boundaries, which change from race to race (and lap to lap). They don't typically get too close unless they are a fast and maneuverable photo boat.

It's not foolproof. I don't know if anyone saw this on TV, but there were some large motor yachts anchored near Hammersmith Farm (south of Fort Adams) at the ACWS in Newport. This was well inside the restricted zone, and no one really knows why they weren't moved before the racing began (yes, a large portion of the bay was officially closed to unofficial traffic). Anyway, at one point, John had us move so far south, that the course enveloped these anchored boats. The marshals tried to get them to move, but they didn't react fast enough, and at least one of them became a large speed bump as the fleet tacked around them getting to the weather gate.

Having said all of that, I would say that judging by the number of people on that "ferry" in San Fran, it was actually being used as a VIP spectator boat.

Mike