Bullseye Association

Proposed Rules Changes

* Notice *

Changes effective immediately, this page updated 5/10/00

This year's Annual Meeting was held on April 27, 2000. Our Association President had asked us to discuss some proposed changes to the Bullseye By-Laws prior to the annual meeting. We discussed the topics and the changes made are shown below along with some of the supporting information. The old text is in ~~strikethrough~~ and the new text is in bold italic.

a. Descriptions of our perpetual trophies. Accepted as is with one change as noted.

The E.L.Goodwin Memorial

Proposed wording of The E.L. Goodwin Bull's Eye National Trophy:

The E.L. Goodwin Bull's Eye National Trophy is awarded each year to the winner of the Bull's Eye National Regatta. Donated by Bill Harding, this perpetual trophy is a varnished wooden half model ~~encased~~ surrounded by the plaques of past winners. The Bull’s Eye Class Association was formed in 1961 in Larchmont NY, with the first annual Bull’s Eye Nationals held there in July 1962. Every year the new recipient is asked to add a new plaque with their name and yacht club. Originally known as the Bull's Eye Annual Trophy the name was changed in 1984 to The E.L. Goodwin Bull's Eye National Trophy, by then President Jack Rankin. Named in honor of E.L. Goodwin of Cape Cod Shipbuilding Co. for building the fiberglass Bull's Eye in 1949, it’s a true representation of a One-Design class. 50’s vintage Bull’s Eyes are still competitively racing today.

The Beverly Trophy
The Beverly Most Improved Trophy was started by the Beverly Yacht Club in 1994 with the surplus from running the 1993 Nationals. This trophy is awarded to the skipper that shows the most improvement from one National Championship Regatta to the next. Click here to see the Beverly Trophy Calculations in Adobe Acrobat PDF Format.

The Rockport Away Trophy
"The Rockport trophy is a perpetual trophy awarded to the highest finishing boat that is not a member of the host fleet in a National Regatta . The trophy is a pen and ink drawing Peter Vincent generously donated to the Bullseye Association. Peter Vincent is a long time Bullseye sailor and member of the Bullseye Association. The Rockport Bullseye Fleet first awarded this trophy at the 1999 Bullseye National Regatta to recognize that it is the boats, skippers and crew traveling to the Nationals that make this annual event special."

b. Prescribed use of the 720 rule as opposed to the 360. Changed and accepted as shown below.

From the Bullseye Association Rules for Conducting National Regattas as approved by the membership in June of 1999

"Penalties

15. ~~ISAF Rules 31 and 44 shall apply when determining the requirement for a 360� or 720� Penalty Turn.~~" If a boat touches a mark ISAF Rule "31, Touching a Mark" shall apply. For other penalties under ISAF Rule 44.1, the Sailing Instructions may not specify a penalty other than the 720� turns penalty.

From the ISAF 1997 - 2000 Rules:

31 TOUCHING A MARK
31.1 While racing, a boat shall not touch a starting mark before starting, a mark that begins, bounds or ends the leg of the course on which she is sailing, or a finishing mark after finishing.

31.2 A boat that has broken rule 31.1 may, after getting well clear of other boats as soon as possible, take a penalty by promptly making one complete 360� turn including one tack and one gybe. When a boat takes the penalty after touching a finishing mark, she shall return completely to the course side of the line before finishing. However, if a boat has gained a significant advantage in the race or series by touching the mark she shall retire.

31.3 When a boat is wrongfully compelled by another boat to break rule 31.1, she shall be exonerated (a) if the other boat acknowledges breaking a rule of Part 2 by taking a penalty or retiring immediately, or (b) under rule 64.1(b), after successfully protesting another boat involved in the same incident.

44 PENALTIES FOR BREAKING RULES OF PART 2
44.1 Taking a Penalty
A boat that may have broken a rule of Part 2 while racing may take a penalty at the time of the incident. Her penalty shall be a 720� Turns Penalty unless the sailing instructions specify the use of the Scoring Penalty or some other penalty. However, if she caused serious damage or gained a significant advantage in the race or series by her breach she shall retire.

44.2 720� Turns Penalty
After getting well clear of other boats as soon after the incident as possible, a boat takes a 720� Turns Penalty by promptly making two complete 360� turns (720�) in the same direction, including two tacks and two gybes. When a boat takes the penalty at or near the finishing line, she shall return completely to the course side of the line before finishing.

Comment

Many competitors who foul someone can easily do a jibe, and then tack when they want to. This 360� penalty can be easily made up within the next leg of the race. Most fleets use a 720, as they feel that 360 isn't enough of a penalty when there has been a rule infraction.

Proposed change - See "Penalties" listed above for accepted change.

The ISAF Rule 44.1 should be changed for Bullseye competition as follows;

Her penalty shall be a 720� Turns Penalty. ~~unless the sailing instructions specify the use of the Scoring Penalty or some other penalty~~

c. Universal starting sequence to be used at every venue. Changed and accepted as shown in 7.1 and 9.1 below.

From the Bullseye Association Rules for Conducting National Regattas as approved by the membership in June of 1999:

"7.1 ~~Unless otherwise specifically and clearly detailed in the Sailing Instructions, the starting procedure shall be as specified by ISAF Rule 26, System 2.~~" Races will be started using one of the starting sequences in the ISAF Rules.

From Bullseye Association Sailing Instructions as approved by the membership in June of 1999:

"9.1 Races will be started ~~in accordance with~~ using one of the starting sequences in the ISAF Rules. ~~26 System 2 using 5 minute audible signals.~~"

Proposed revised wording to Starting Procedure

These sentences conflict and should be reworded so the host fleet can use either of the two standard ISAF starts (dinghy or 5 minute start) and eliminate the "Unless otherwise specifically and clearly detailed in the Sailing Instructions".

d. Permitted sails for the Nationals Regatta. No change at this time.

On sail selection from the current Bullseye Class Association Constitution and Bylaws:

"ARTICLE XI - Nationals Competition
Any quantity of sails may be measured for competition. However only two spinnakers, one mainsail, one genoa jib and one working jib shall be allowed on board on any given day of the Nationals Competition."

Proposed revised wording to Constitution and Bylaws

"For all National regattas any quantity of sails may be measured for competition. However the host committee will permit the use of one mainsail, two spinnakers and one headsail for each day of racing. The hosting fleet will choose the headsail for the regatta and indicate this choice in the Notice of Race."

e. Other topics for discussion. This item was tabled for further discussion.

Use of radios... from the Bullseye Class Association Technical Specifications:

"Section 2. Running Rigging
e. No electrically powered equipment, including electronic instrumentation, is permitted. Exceptions are allowed for electronic wrist watch timers, portable running lights, the use of automatic bilge pumps when a boat is lying unattended at a mooring, and marine radios used in times of emergency."

From Bullseye Association Sailing Instructions as approved by the membership in June of 1999:

"Recalls

11.1 Individual recalls will be hailed by the Race Committee and in accordance with current ISAF Rules.

11.2 Premature starters will be hailed, but failure to be hailed or to hear a hail is insufficient cause for redress under current ISAF Rule 60.

11.3 A general recall will be signaled in accordance with current ISAF Rules."

Comments made during an online discussion prior to the Annual Meeting.

"If we permit a boat to have a radio on board for emergency purposes, what precludes its use for listening to the race committee or mark boats. Since the cost of radios is now affordable to anyone who can afford the costs involved in racing a boat competitively, I would be in favor of allowing radios on board. I think that we should add a clause that would say something to the effect that no boat could use a radio to receive information that is not available to all competitors. (For example, a participating boat could not receive information from a non-competing boat about windshifts, changes in wind direction.)"

"I personally feel there is a big advantage to listening to the communication between the committee boat and the mark boats during the start. I believe other fleets list in their sailing instructions the use of portable radios. The trend today is to have the committee boat set up on another channel for the "all clear". This means the committee will switch to another channel that the racers are listening to to give the "all clear" or the over early sail numbers. This is extremely helpful in larger fleets when it is almost impossible for the committee to hail numbers across the line. I don't think we need to begin this practice, but perhaps we should add a line about no use of electronics in the Guidelines and Rules for Running a Regatta. "

Members are strongly encouraged to review the accepted changes and to comment on the unresolved topics to any member of the Executive Committee, Bullseye Association Secretary or the Bullseye Webmaster.