Changes effective immediately, this page updated 5/1/01
Notice
This year's Annual Meeting was held on April 26, 2001. Our Association President had asked us to discuss some proposed changes to the Bullseye By-Laws and Technical Specifications 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 red bold italic.
The following item, Use
of Radios, was tabled for further
discussion from the April 2000 Annual Meeting. Accepted
with the revised wording to cover the use of electronic compasses as shown.
An amendment has been suggested for Section 3. Safety Equipment and is briefly outlined here. Accepted as shown.
An amendment to the By Laws Article IX,
Nationals Competition, had been added during the months preceding the Annual
meeting and is briefly outlined
here. Accepted as amended and shown.
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, electronic
compasses (limited to display of time and direction), portable running lights, the use
of automatic bilge pumps when a boat is lying unattended at a mooring, and mobile
telephones or marine radios
used in times of emergency. Boats shall neither make
nor receive non-emergency radio
transmissions from the harbor start until the end of the race."
Thoughts of the Technical Committee Chairman.
This can become a volatile subject. Each side of the argument has merits. If marine radios are allowed it raises the bar with respect to cost of sailing (racing) a Bullseye. This is something we, as a class, have attempted to prevent. It is almost impossible to fully enforce a "no use except for emergency" statement with respect to listening in on Race Committee discussions held between the Committee Boat and any support boats.
One of the valid points for using radios is the inability of competitors to hear start recalls unless they are in close proximity of the Race Committee Boat. An alternate solution to radios on all boats is a "loud hailer" on the Committee Boat used for recalls or other announcements. Having said that I am reminded that in past discussions this topic was better defined as the owness of the skipper to be aware of his location on the starting line. But only the Committee can truly see who is guilty of an early start infraction as they have the only true clear view of the whole line. As a competitor in the middle of the start line you do not have the ability to see both to windward and leeward simultaneously and make a true straight line connection between the Pin and the Committee Boat.
It is my opinion that we should add the text from the ISAF Appendix K of the Sailing Instructions Guide, paragraph 24, as listed below, to our existing Section 2. Running Rigging, paragraph e. of the Bullseye Class Technical Specifications.
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. "
Appendix K - Sailing Instructions Guide
24. A boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to mobile telephones.
22.0 Radio Communication
A boat shall not have on board when racing any means of making or receiving radio transmissions except an EPIRB.
Class Rules 1998
22. RADIOS.
No contestant in any Rhodes 19 race, local or championship, shall use any radio that is capable of monitoring the local race committee frequencies or weather channels after the mooring is dropped or the boat leaves the dock. Exceptions consist of emergencies and notifications to the race committee of withdrawal.
The following amendments to the Class Rules have been approved to be effective 1st March 2000:
14 Prohibitions
Present Rule:
"14.4 Devices transmitting or correlating data relative to wind direction or speed, or boat speed and location, by means such as,
but not limited to, electronic, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic."
Amendment:
Add :
" Compasses (mechanical or electronic) are permitted provided that they are not programmable, cannot transmit or receive
data, and the output is limited to timing and current compass direction relative to magnetic north."
HANDBOOK, Updated as of November 1, 1999
CHIEF MEASURERS' RULINGS
69. Except for compasses and timers, electronic devices which are used as an aid to the boat's performance shall not be carried on board, except that any device that performs calculations (e.g., compasses that calculate lifts and headers) is prohibited. (July 1986; March 1999)
The following amendments to the Class Rules have been approved to be effective from 1st March 2000:
3.8.5 Electronic Equipment
Delete present Rule and insert:
" Devices transmitting or correlating data relative to wind direction or speed or boat speed and location by means such as, but not limited to electronic, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatics are prohibited from use whilst racing. Boats fitted with this type of equipment shall have the display and the master units disabled to the satisfaction of the race committee. The use of an electronic digital compass with chronograph (timer and/or clock) is permitted. The compass must be entirely self-contained with an internal battery and/or solar power. The compass shall have no external connections. This includes power supply and data inputs."
The following minimum equipment shall be on board the boat at all times:
a. A 5 lb. Danforth anchor, or its equivalent, 6 feet of 1/4 inch chain and at least 100 feet of 3/8 inch nylon anchor rode;
b. One U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket of suitable size for each person on board;
c. A paddle or an oar at least 4 feet in length;
d. A horn in working order;
e. A manual pump or bucket suitable for
bailing, a manual pump may also be carried;
f. A navigational compass in working order.
HANDBOOK, Updated as of November 1, 1999
CHIEF MEASURERS' RULINGS
2. The following minimum necessary equipment shall be carried at all times: adequate ground tackle (a recommended anchor would be the equivalent of an eight (8) pound Danforth or Northhill anchor with a minimum of one-hundred (100) feet of line); one wearable life jacket, either Coast Guard approved or in addition to an unapproved jacket, one Coast Guard approved life preserver for each person aboard; one Coast Guard approved throwable, a paddle or oar; a bucket suitable for bailing; sound device and a safety line attached to the transom mooring rings.
The crew in a boat participating in a Nationals Regatta may number either two or three persons, but the number and identity of crew members must be maintained throughout the Regatta. Substitution for a crew member will be permitted if approval is voted by the other Regatta participants.
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.
For all National regattas any quantity of sails may be measured for competition. One mainsail, two spinnakers and one headsail may be permitted for each day of racing, but the hosting fleet will determine the use of spinnakers and choice of headsail for the event and indicate these selections in the Notice of Race. A working jib may be substituted for a genoa jib at any time.”
Members are strongly encouraged to review the accepted changes.
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