The NSCA Class Association Rules
NATIONAL SWALLOW CLASS ASSOCIATION
RULES
May 2018
1 | Title | |||
| The full title of the Association shall be the National Swallow Class Association. | ||||
2 | Objectives | |||
| The objectives of the National Swallow Class Association are | ||||
| a) | To represent the interests of the Owners of Swallow Class boats and of those that sail in them. | |||
| b) | To co-operate with the RYA in matters related to the Class Rules. | |||
| c) | To organise an annual Swallow Class Championship. | |||
| d) | To liaise with organisations that provide Swallow Class racing. | |||
| e) | To facilitate the building of new Swallow Class boats, including the provision of RYA approved moulds. | |||
| f) | To award and maintain the trophies belonging to the Association. | |||
| g) | To promote sailing and racing in Swallow Class boats. | |||
3 | Terms and Definitions | |||
| NSCA | National Swallow Class Association. | |||
| RYA | Royal Yachting Association. | |||
| Committee | The elected and co-opted members of the NSCA Committee. | |||
| NSCA rules | These rules. | |||
| Class Rules | The National Swallow Class Rules, primarily the specification and measurement rules of the boat. | |||
| Owner | A person with a financial interest in a boat, including sharing in the capital value or the expenses of the boat. | |||
4 | Relationship with Royal Yachting Association | |||
| a) | The RYA is the authority for the National Swallow Class and, in accordance with the Class Rules, will co-operate with the NSCA in matters concerning the Class Rules. | |||
| b) | The Class Rules are published by the RYA. | |||
| c) | The NSCA shall affiliate to the RYA. | |||
5 | Membership and Voting Rights | |||
| a) | There are two classes of membership: | |||
| · | Full Member, open to present and past Swallow sailors, both helms and crews. | |||
| · | Associate Member, open to anyone with an interest in the Swallow Class. | |||
| b) | All Owners of a boat shall be Full Members of the NSCA. However, when a boat has more than four Owners, at least four of the Owners shall be Full Members and all other Owners shall be Associate Members. Additionally, when Owners are married, one of them may be an Associate Member. | |||
| c) | On any resolution to change the Class Rules or this NSCA rule, the Owners of each Swallow shall have one vote between them, irrespective of the number of Owners. On all other matters, each Full Member shall have one vote. | |||
6 | Management | |||
| a) | The NSCA shall be managed by the Committee. | |||
| b) | The NSCA Committee shall comprise | |||
| · | Chairman | |||
| · | Secretary | |||
| · | Technical Officer | |||
| · | Honorary Treasurer | |||
| · | The Swallow Class Captains of RYA affiliated clubs with regular weekend racing for Swallow Class boats | |||
| · | Not more than three others, who shall be Full Members of the NSCA. | |||
| c) | All members of the Committee, except the Class Captains, shall be elected by the Full Members at an AGM. | |||
| d) | The members of the Committee, other than the Secretary and Honorary Treasurer and unless proposed otherwise, shall be elected for a three year term, provided they are not elected for more than three years in any four year period. | |||
| e) | The Committee may co-opt any other person to serve on the Committee. Co-opted members shall have a vote provided they are Full Members of the NSCA. | |||
| f) | The quorum for a committee meeting is four, including co-opted members. | |||
| g) | The Committee shall arrange an annual championship for the Swallow Class. It shall select a location and a host club to run the event and make all necessary arrangements for the event with the host club. | |||
| h) | The Committee shall arrange an AGM each year at an appropriate location. | |||
| i) | The Committee may arrange an EGM when it considers there is a matter of pressing importance to be decided by the members of the NSCA. | |||
| j) | The Committee shall arrange an EGM within six weeks of receipt by the NSCA Chairman or Secretary of a written request from at least fifteen Full Members stating the proposal to be put to the EGM. | |||
| k) | The Committee shall ensure that RYA approved Swallow class moulds owned by the NSCA are available and in a condition suitable for building a new Swallow. | |||
| l) | The Committee shall decide and publish the mould fee payable for use of the moulds owned by the NSCA by the boat owner(s) on each new hull manufactured. | |||
| m) | The Committee shall meet as required to carry out its duties. | |||
7 | Power of the Committee | |||
| The Committee is empowered to perform all management functions and administration of the class and the class rules provided that | ||||
| a) | It conforms to the NSCA objectives in rule 2 above. | |||
| b) | Any change proposed to the Class Rules that will affect the performance of a Swallow is submitted to and approved by an AGM or EGM before the RYA is requested to make the change. | |||
| c) | Any change proposed to the NSCA rules, but not the addenda to them, is submitted to and approved by an AGM or EGM. | |||
8 | Conduct of General Meetings | |||
| a) | Notice of an annual general meeting (AGM) or an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) shall be in writing and dispatched by post or email at least four weeks before the date of the meeting. | |||
| b) | The notice shall include the agenda, details of each proposal on the agenda and, when appropriate, nominations for NSCA officers and Committee. | |||
| c) | Proposals and nominations for inclusion on the agenda shall be submitted in writing by post or email to the Secretary in sufficient time to be included on the agenda. | |||
| d) | The decisions at an AGM or EGM shall be limited to matters on the agenda. | |||
| e) | Decisions shall be made by a simple majority of eligible votes as rule 5 above. However, in exceptional circumstances, the Chairman may order a postal or email ballot of all Full Members. | |||
| f) | Votes at an AGM or EGM may be cast by proxy. Proxies shall be in writing and shall reach the Secretary at least 48 hours before the meeting commences. | |||
| g) | At an AGM or EGM the quorum shall be twenty Full Members. | |||
9 | Subscriptions | |||
| a) | Subscriptions for each class of Member shall be determined by the Committee. | |||
| b) | Subscriptions shall be due on 1st March annually for the period to the end of the following February. However, subscriptions paid by Members joining after 1st January in any year shall be for the period to the end of February in the following year. | |||
| c) | The Committee may specify reduced subscriptions when paid by bank standing order. | |||
| d) | When a subscription has not been paid within 60 days of the due-date, the Member shall cease to be a Member unless otherwise decided by the Committee. The Member may re-join by paying the subscription due plus a late subscription charge, which is set at 50% of the subscription. The late subscription charge does not apply to new Members joining after the due date at the discretion of the Committee. | |||
10 | Accounts | |||
| The Committee shall ensure that | ||||
| a) | true records are kept giving particulars of and explanations for all monies received and expended by the NSCA; | |||
| b) | membership and subscription records are kept; | |||
| c) | annual financial statements are prepared showing the surplus or deficit for the year to 31st October and the financial position of the NSCA at the year end; | |||
| d) | the annual financial statements are presented to the AGM following the year end. | |||
11 | Communications | |||
| a) | Communications to Members from the Chairman, Secretary or any other person acting on behalf of the NSCA may be sent by post or email. | |||
| b) | It is the responsibility of each Member to provide a current email address to the Secretary or to the relevant Swallow class captain. | |||
| c) | Individual Members may apply to the Secretary to receive all communications through the postal system and the Committee, at its sole discretion, may agree to any such request. | |||
ADDENDUM 1 | ||
EVENT RULES | ||
All Events | ||
| During the racing season, Swallows shall normally be kept on moorings. They are not to be dry sailed. | ||
Major Events | ||
| A. | Major Events for the Swallow Class are the following: | |
| · | Norman Moore Trophy, an Itchenor SC open meeting | |
| · | National Swallow Class Championship | |
| · | Cowes Week, the week long series and individual races during the week | |
| · | Cowes Classics Week. | |
| The Committee may add to or delete from the list of major events at any time. | ||
| B | At the National Swallow Class Championship and at other events for which trophies and prizes are awarded by the NSCA, a boat and her helm shall comply with the rules in this addendum. When a boat fails to comply with these rules, she shall not be eligible for any trophy or prize. | |
| C | After the start of the first race of a major event, a boat shall not be taken out of the water except to effect necessary repairs. When a boat is taken out of the water, this fact and the reasons for doing so, shall be declared promptly and in writing to the race committee. | |
| D | While racing, as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing, at major events, the helm of a boat shall be a current Full Member of the NSCA. | |
| Owners should note that a boat’s certificate becomes invalid if there is a change to any item recorded on the certificate in accordance with class rule A.11. This will include the registered Owner ceasing to be an Owner and any change in the weight of correctors. | ||
| If all Owners have not paid the subscription due for membership of the NSCA, as required in NSCA rule 5(b), their boat will not be eligible to race. | ||
ADDENDUM 2 | ||||
FEES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS | ||||
Membership Subscriptions | ||||
| Effective from 1st March 2017 | ||||
| Annual Subscription | ||||
| Full Member | £50 | |||
| Associate Member | £25 | |||
| In addition to boat Owners who are required to be Members (see addendum 1), all those who helm regularly are encouraged to be Full Members and all others who sail regularly are encouraged to support the class as Associate Members. | ||||
Mould Fee | ||||
| Mould Fee | ||||
| Payable for use of the moulds owned by the NSCA on each hull manufactured, as per class rule A.9. | £750 | |||
| The Committee may reduce this fee if only one mould is used. Currently this fee is not subject to Value Added Tax. | ||||
| Owners are reminded that neither the mould fee nor any fees and expenses charged by a measurer are likely to be included in a quotation for building a Swallow. | ||||