If you look at the situational drawing, the boats are heeling about 30-35 degrees - not 12. At 30ish degree heel the masthead will shift ~20-25 feet to leward which means that if the boats are separated by ~15 feet will have ww's masthead directly above the center line of leeward boat with a good chance of the rigs colliding if leeward boat suddenly stands straight up

RRS 60.2(a)(1) If the protestor is a boat, she shall hail 'Protest' and, if her length is more than 6 meters, conspicuously display a red flag, at the first reasonable opportunity for each.  She shall display the red flag until she is no longer racing.  

As a protestor you are required to hail protest and also required to display a red flag if applicable as read above, deviation from these requirements can/should render any subsequent protest as invalid unless subject to other parts of RRS 60.  

And I appreciate it.

I never called you a blockhead.