(zilatu) wrote:
A few years ago, I read in the protest appeals about the timing
between hailing protest and displaying the red flag. The numbers 15 to
20 seconds stick in my mind. I can no longer find the appeals case to
verify this. Can anyone give me a referance to the appeals number. I
am currently involved in a protest in which it took slightly over a
minute to display the flag.

Google is a wonderful tool. A search for "appeal protest flag" found
the following in less time than it took to type this:

http://www.48north.com/aug2001/letters.htm

The big question in deciding if the protest is valid will be *why* did
it take a minute to fly the flag?

If the minute was spent ensuring the safety of the boat and crew
(getting sails down, getting people back on board, inspecting for
damage, assisting injured crew, etc), then there should be no question
that it's valid.

If the minute was spent having somebody hunt down below to find the flag
stashed away in a locker, then there should be no question that it's
invalid.

The longer the delay in displaying the flag, the tougher the job becomes
to convince a committee that the flag was flown as soon as reasonably
possible. A minute is a pretty long time. The only reasons I can think
of which would permit a delay that long all involve ensuring safety of
crew and vessel.