Fleet Constitution

CATALINA 30/309 – FLEET #sample

(your fleets location)

CONSTITUTION

I. NAME – The Fleet shall be known as the International Catalina 30 Association, Fleet #nn, location. (e.g. Fleet #11, Annapolis, MD) This name will be recognized internationally, even if the fleet is organized under another yacht club or All Catalina Fleet.

II. OBJECTIVES – The purpose of Catalina 30/309 – Fleet shall be to provide for one-design racing and to promote the enjoyment of ownership, sailing, and cruising by:

Establishing and maintaining one-design standards and specifications in order to insure competition between boats of identical design and performance in all the essential areas such as hull lines, weights, and sail plan;

Promoting one-design class racing under uniform rules and regulations which will test the skills of the skipper and crew;

Keeping the cost of racing the Catalina 30/309 sloop within modest limits without sacrificing high standards of performance and seaworthiness;

Actively seeking new members, maintaining a minimum membership of three Catalina 30/309 yachts and making yearly reports to the International.

Insisting on the observance and compliance with the rules and regulations of the International Catalina 30 Association and the local Fleet; and

Cooperating with other yachting organizations; and coordinating cruising and social activities.

III. MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY

A. REGULAR MEMBER – A Regular Member shall be an owner or at least a 25% part owner and a Corinthian. He/she has the privileges of holding office, of voting, and of commanding a Catalina 30/309 sloop in sanctioned races. Only one vote may be cast per yacht. Only one part owner per yacht may hold office in the Fleet at any one given time.

B. HONORARY MEMBER – An Honorary Member is a person selected by the Fleet, in accordance with Article VIII, who will not hold office, vote, command a Catalina 30/309 sloop in sanctioned races, or pay dues.

C. ASSOCIATE MEMBER – An Associate Member is a person who subscribes to the objectives in Article II and does not own a Catalina 30/309. This person pays regular dues, but does not have voting privileges, cannot hold office, however, they may command a Catalina 30/309 sloop in sanctioned races.

IV. DUES – The dues of the Catalina 30/309 Fleet shall be an amount set by the Fleet Board of Directors annually. Dues shall be payable on or before January 1, and shall be collected by the Fleet Treasurer. Special assessments may be made by vote of a majority of the Regular Members present at any regular meeting, and shall be for the duration of one year.

International dues are billed directly by the IC30A.

V. FLEET OFFICERS – Officers shall be regular members in good standing. The Officers of the Fleet shall be named the Fleet Captain, the Fleet Secretary, the Fleet Treasurer, and the Fleet Measurer. At least one officer, the Fleet Captain, must be elected, who will be the liaison to the International Catalina 30 Association. Those officers that are elected will fulfill the following duties.

A. DUTIES

  1. FLEET CAPTAIN – The Fleet Captain shall fix the dates of meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Fleet’s meetings. He/she shall preside at all Fleet meetings, approve the annual report and official actions of other officers, appoint special committees, rule on procedure and jurisdiction, authorize Fleet expenditures within the budget, and perform other functions as may be warranted for the proper management of the Fleet.
  2. FLEET SECRETARY – The Fleet Secretary shall maintain the Fleet minutes, records, and registration of numbers and boats. He/she shall distribute ballots and notices of meetings unless that function is delegated to a specially appointed position. He/she shall also act for the Fleet Captain in his/her absence.
  3. FLEET TREASURER – The Fleet Treasurer shall receive funds and deposit them in the depository approved by the Board of Directors, prepare the annual financial statement and budget, and conduct the financial affairs of Fleet. All books and records of the Fleet Secretary and/or the Fleet Treasurer may be inspected by any member for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.
  4. FLEET MEASURER – The Fleet Measurer shall make the actual boat and sail measurements, record these measurements on the “Official Certificate of Measurement and Registration,” and verify compliance with class rules. He/she shall maintain a file of all measurement certificates, and shall report to the membership any yacht that races without certification. A measurement kit is available from the Chief Measurer.

Rules on controversial changes or changes that affect the sailing characteristics must be referred to the Chief Measurer of the International Catalina 30 Association for evaluation. The Fleet Measurer shall not measure his/her own boat except under the supervision of another Fleet or Association officer.

B. ELECTIONS – The preceding officers shall be elected at the annual meeting for a one-year term from January 1 to December 31. The recommendations of the nominating committee and notice of the annual meeting shall be sent to all members at least ten (10) days in advance by the Fleet Secretary. Nominations may also be received from the floor at the annual meeting. No nominations shall be presented without consent of the nominee. The nominee for each office with the greatest number of votes of the regular members in good standing present at the meeting shall be elected.

VI. COMMITTEES

A. BOARD OF DIRECTORS – The Board of Directors shall consist of all of the elected officers and the most recent past Fleet Captain. In the event past Fleet Captains are not available, a Member-at-Large shall be elected and serve on the Board of Directors for a one-year term. The term of office shall be from January 1 to December 31.

The Board of Directors shall interpret the Constitution and Bylaws, determine policy of the Fleet, serve as the last court of appeals in disputes over constitutional rights, sanction or ban Fleet activities, and suspend members guilty of gross violation of the rules or of unsportsmanlike conduct for a period not exceeding its term of office. Only the Board of Directors may obligate the Fleet financially.

B. SPECIAL COMMITTEES

  1. NOMINATING COMMITTEE – The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of officers for the ensuing year. No nominations are to be presented without the consent of the nominee. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Fleet Captain.
  2. OTHER SPECIAL COMMITTEES – Other special committees may be appointed by the Fleet Captain as needed.

VII. MEETINGS

A. ANNUAL MEETING – An annual meeting shall be held as close as possible to the end of the summer racing season, but not later than December 31.

B. GENERAL MEETINGS – meetings of the general membership may be called as necessary by the Fleet Captain. Notice must be sent to all members of the Fleet at least ten (10) days prior to any general membership meeting by the Fleet Secretary.

C. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS – Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called by the Fleet Captain as necessary.

VIII. VOTING

A. BOARD OF DIRECTORS – (how many?) officers of the Board shall constitute a quorum, and a simple majority vote shall be required to carry.

B. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP – A majority of votes of the regular members present shall be required to carry, except as noted below in Articles ~IX and X. Members whose dues are in arrears or who are otherwise not in good standing are not eligible to vote. There shall be one vote allowed for each Catalina 30/309. In case of a tie vote, the Fleet Captain shall cast the deciding vote. Written, dated, and signed proxy votes shall be allowed. Proxy votes shall be valid for one date only. Voting by mail shall be allowed, but mailed votes must be received by the Fleet Captain prior to the meeting.

IX. SUSPENSION – Any officer or member may be suspended or expelled by a three-fourths vote of the membership for conduct or action deemed prejudicial or injurious to the Fleet.

X. AMENDMENTS – A change to the Constitution or Bylaws may be proposed by any regular member at any Board of Directors meeting. If approved in accordance with Article VIII, the Fleet Secretary shall send a copy of the proposal to all members at least twenty (20) days in advance of it being put to a final vote at the general meeting. To be adopted, the proposal must be approved by two-thirds of the regular members in attendance voting whether in person, by proxy, or by mail vote at the prescribed meeting.

XI. AUTHORITY – The Constitution and Bylaws, in conjunction with the International Catalina 30 Association Constitution and Bylaws, shall be the governing rules of the Fleet.

XII. RATIFICATION – This is a valid copy of the Constitution as approved by the Board of Directors and adopted by the membership by mail ballot vote on –/–/– and supersedes entirely all previous versions.

________________ date –/–/–

Fleet Captain

________________ date –/–/–

(other officer/member)