I cant even consider this surrender rule. It just contradicts the very foundation of man's desire to sail: freedom of the high seas.
So whenever need arises, I dont hesitate to shift the playing area (although I usually play on a blue bed sheet on the floor 1x2 meters)
On the other hand, I do rarely play just "meeting engagements", it happened maybe once or twice to test the rules. Most of the time we set up a scenario - a raid, running a blockade, damaged ship running for cover of shore batteries... so there is rarely a need to shift the playing surface, as the point of scenario is to get form point A to point B for one side to win.
Perhaps that is why I seek more challenge in sailing itself, like harder tacking - to make those chases more interesting. It's hardly useful in a typical slugfest.
Whether you want to shift ships, or in some other way keep ships IN the game I think is the best way to play the game! I understand why ARES put the rule in the game, but it just seems to be an over simplified way to accomplish the intent! Although the rule as it is does prevent a Captain that finds his ship in trouble from just running away to save face!

Upon reading your prior post with the diagrams I recalled an engagement the USS Constitution had when she took on two 32 Gun British frigates which were escorting a convoy. At the height of the engagement the Constitution found herself in a position with the sterns of the opposing frigates facing in her direction. She raked one nearly dismasting her and resulting in that ship striking her colors, she then did a Starboard Tack maneuver to bring her guns to bear for another raking shot on the second enemy frigate again causing severe damage on the enemy vessel. Though as that ship had the wind she was able to get away before Constitution could catch her with another broadside. If I remember right, the Constitution then went after the three ships in the convoy capturing two of them. At the moment I can't recall the name of the action!!!!!

My point is, I haven't come up with a good answer to the lacking of Tacking in the game. As shown in your diagrams above allowing for a "gamey" situation as you noted doesn't really meet with the intent of the game. There should be the means to allow players to handle the challenge of properly handling their ship in a more realistic manner. There have been some good suggestions made above in how to better make that possible, and I guess the more we knock this thing around the closer we will get to a satisfactory means of making it work!