The following instructions are as accepted by the Bullseye Association membership at the Nationals Competition held in June of 1999 and ammended April of 2000. The purpose is to standardize how Regattas are organized and run.

To download an Adobe Acrobat® PDF format version of this document, click here to jump to our Bullseye Document page.

Bullseye Association Sailing Instructions

1. All races are under the jurisdiction of the Bullseye Class Association (BCA) and under the management of the hosting yacht club and will be conducted in accordance with the following rules:

1.1 The current ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing and the prescriptions of the BCA shall govern except as specifically modified by the BCA Constitution, By-laws and Rules for Conducting Regattas as published in the current BCA rule book and identified in these Sailing Instruction Guidelines.

2.1 Eligible boats and Class member skippers may enter by completing registration with the hosting organization

2.2 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 Race Committee.

2.3 Once a crew has been excused, they may not return for the balance of the series.

2.4 Co-skippers will be allowed subject to the restrictions of 2.2.

2.5 Boat owners agree that they shall have aboard all appropriate safety equipment.

3.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official regatta notice board in a prominent location at all venues and functions of the regatta.

3.2 Race Committee notices will be posted no later than 30 minutes before the departure of the main Race Committee boat, except that any change in the schedule of races will be posted by 8 PM on the day before it will take effect.

4.1 There will be a competitors' meeting before each series held ½ hour before the harbor start.

5.1 Signals made ashore will be posted at the competitors meeting site and at the dock and be announced. (per current ISAF Rules)

5.2 Code flag "AP" (Answering Pennant - alternating red and white stripes) with 2 audible signals (one signal when lowered) means the race is postponed. The next warning (10 minute) signal will be made 15 minutes after "AP" is lowered.

5.3 Code flag "N" (blue and white checker board) with 3 audible signals means the race is abandoned.

6.1 The Race Committee will attempt to complete 5 races.

6.2 No races will be started after 4 PM on Saturdays and 1 PM on Sundays.

7.1 The approximate compass bearing of Mark 1 will be displayed on the main Race Committee boat before the preparatory signal.

7.2 The racing area will be shown on an attached chart.

7.3 (a) An Olympic Course, signaled by Code Flag "O" (red and yellow) consisting of a triangle followed by windward, leeward and windward legs.

(b) A Triangular Course signaled by Code Flag "T" (red, white and blue vertical stripes) consisting of TWO triangles followed by a windward leg.

(c) A Windward/Leeward Course signaled by Code Flag "W" (concentric blue, white and red squares) consisting of a windward and leeward twice around and followed by a windward leg.

(d) In a Variant Course the first leg must be to windward and the course shall be defined during the competitors' meeting.

7.4 (a) The course diagram shall indicate the order in which marks are to be passed.
(b) Course marks shall be left or passed to port.

7.5 The Course Signal Flag ("O", "T", or "W") shall be hoisted no later than one minute before the Warning Signal and accompanied by one audible signal. It shall remain hoisted until all boats have started.

8.1 Primary marks 1, 2 and 3, New Marks, Change of Course Marks and the Start Mark should be described and/or displayed by the Race Committee during the Competitors meeting

9.1 Races will be started using one of the starting sequences in the ISAF Rules.

9.2 The starting line will be between a staff displaying a flag or shape on the Race Committee boat at the starboard end of the course side of the port end starting mark.

9.3 Course Signals shall be displayed at least one minute prior to the first Warning Signal for that race and shall remain displayed until ten minutes after the last start in the race.

9.4 If a postponement is signaled after the Preparatory Signal (5 minute), the next Preparatory Signal shall be made one minute after lowering of the Postponement Signal, unless a course selection change is signaled.

10.1 (a) Before starting the first race of each day each boat is required to sail past the stern of the designated Race Committee boat and verbally check-in. The check-in boat will display a red flag while on station prior to the Warning Signal. If no separate check-in boat is on station, competitors shall check-in with the main Race Committee boat.
(b) Any Bullseye failing to check-in in accordance with the provisions of 10.1 (a) shall score CNF (Check-In Failure) and receive a scoring penalty equal to 20% more than the number of starters in that race.

10.2 When the Race Committee verbally acknowledges a boat's sail number, the entry has officially been noted.

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.

12.1 Course changes shall be governed by current ISAF Rules for Change of Course.

12.2 The Race Committee may abandon a race in progress at any time in accordance with current ISAF Rules for Abandonment.

13.1 The finish will be between a staff displaying a flag or shape on a Race Committee boat and the course side of the finishing mark.

13.2 The Race Committee may hail a boat for inspection of required equipment at a Race Committee boat beyond the finish line.

13.3 Each boat shall be prepared to identify the boat finishing immediately ahead or astern by sail number if requested by the Race Committee.

14. The time limit is 2 hours for the first boat to finish. Any boat finishing 1 hour after the first boat or after the time limit, which ever is later, will be scored DNF. Should the first boat fail to complete the first lap within 1 hour, the Race Committee shall abandon the race.

15. A boat which exits the course shall notify the Race Committee at the first opportunity.

15.1 Protests shall be in writing on forms available at the registration desk and filed with the Race Committee Chairman within 1 hour of the posted time of the Race Committee returning ashore.

15.2 Protest notices and hearing schedules specifying the protestor and protestee shall be posted no later than one-half hour after the expiration of the protest filing time limit.

16.1 The low point scoring system, ISAF Appendix A2, will apply for the series.

16.2 A drop race will be permitted upon completion of 6 races. In cases of a tie, first add back any dropped races for those boats that are tied, and if a tie still remains, then select on the basis of which boat (skipper) beat the other the most times.

16.3 All unpenalized boats score their final position except 1st which scores 1 point.

17. Under no circumstances shall the use of team racing tactics be tolerated in fleet racing. If the Race Committee or Protest Committee determines that the use of team racing tactics may have significantly influenced the outcome of a race they shall order that race abandoned and resailed, excluding the participation of the offending boat(s).

18. The discharge of trash into the water is prohibited during the entirety of the event. Any boat observed in violation is subject to disqualification, at the discretion of the Race Committee, from all races sailed on the day of the infraction.

19. A boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats as outlined in the Bullseye Class Association – Technical Specifications, Article II, Section 2. The use of radios shall be for safety purposes only.

20.1 (a) Prizes will be awarded to skipper and crew for the top 3 places of the regatta as a minimum.

20.2 (b) Prizes will be awarded to first place skipper and crew for each race of the regatta.

These pages designed and maintained by the Bullseye Association • Copyright 1997-2004