Room for an obstruction - Sailing Downwind

Had this team racing in the Carmela Cup in first class 8s in the dock by excel. Wind straight down the dock. Luffed to the wall on port by leeward who then held me there. Our kites were up. Got a bit of a roll on in the disturbed sir off the wall. Couldn’t slow to go out the back (main on the centreline would have meant more roll as might getting the kite down. Too close to the wall to gybe (boom would have smashed into it). Asked for room - umpires greened when we protested. Their perception was that leeward was giving us enough room.....and they may have been right since there was oodles of water under the keel and the rig never hit the wall. Lots of discussion that the only guaranteed way out is to get to close hauled early!