Bob,
Are you sure that you got everything right yourself ?
Maybe I misunderstand what you wrote but :
There were other instances where boats on downwind legs were not keeping clear of boats on upwind legs (windward/leeward)
You can't really summarize windward/leeward like that.
Windward/leeward rule ONLY applies when both boat are sailing on the same tack or what ever you English speaking people call it; boom is hanging over same side of boat. Otherwise the port tack boat (with boom over his starboard side) on an upwind leg must give right of way to a starboard tack boat (boom over port) that is on a downwind leg.
Maybe I just misunderstood what you are trying to say.
Wouter
