No. Blue is leeward
boat and rule 11 allows
her to luff, but only if no other rule conflicts. Rule 18 begins to apply
when the first boat reaches the zone. Here,
rule 18.4 applies and Blue
shall not sail further from the mark until she gybes than needed to sail her
proper course, and by no stretch of the imagination
can this be considered Blue's proper course. Thus Blue breaks rule 18.4 and will be penalized.