Our team is wanting to put a flag holder on our mast, which can change angle about 20 degrees or so. At start the mast will be 20 degrees from vertical. So our question is what is near vertical. And also does all possible playing configurations include starting configuration, this is because at the beginning of the match our mast goes to 90 degrees, if it does not change after this will that be ok.
We lost our Q&A name so we can’t ask a question to the GDC
Closest Q&A that I can find: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=8285
So the answer to your second question is, it would probably be legal. As to your first question, I don’t know. I would, however, say that 20 degrees is probably a little far.
Although it is doubtful now that you would get a question answered before Ship, you can have your mentor request a new password. I forget if it is in TIMS or in the Q&A login.
I believe the purpose of “approximately vertical” is simply a better way of saying "close enough that its hard to say it is or not. The inspectors do not want to use a level or other device, but 20 degrees off vertical is definately too much. And yes, your starting configuration is considered a playing configuration (you have to start the match in the starting configuration).
As an inspector I would not allow 20 degrees to be NEAR vertical.
Maybe 1-3 degrees would look alright.
TIMS has your teams username and password on the right hand side in bold letters.