CONSTITUTION

CONSTITUTION OF THE RYA NATIONAL HORNET CLASS ASSOCIATION (Updated 21 Feb 2023)

Download 20230221-RYA-National-Hornet-Association-Consitution.pdf

1. TITLE

The full title of the Association shall be the RYA NATIONAL HORNET CLASS ASSOCIATION, this may be abbreviated to the “Hornet Class”. The Class Flag shall be the “Third Substitute”.

2. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Throughout these Rules the following defined terms will be used:

  1. “The National Association” shall mean the Hornet Class Association.
  2. “The Committee” shall mean the Committee of the Association, consisting of elected Committee Members.
  3. “The National Association Rules” shall mean the Rules governing the conduct of the National Association.
  4. “The National Association Register” shall mean the register of owners of the Hornet Class with their addresses and boat number.
  5. “The Hornet Class” shall mean the class of sailing boat designed by Jack Holt and made in accordance with the current RYA measurement form/rules, and known by the name: The Hornet
  6. “The Class Rules” shall mean the rules relating to specification, construction and measurement controls of the Hornet Class as defined in the Hornet measurement rules to enable each Hornet so measured to be a recognised boat within the Hornet Class for class racing purposes.
  7. “The Sail Number” shall mean the Sail Number allocated to the boat
  8. “The Hon. Secretary” shall mean the elected or appointed National Class Hon. Secretary of the Hornet Class.  
  9. “Owner” and “Joint Owner” shall mean any person or persons, corporation or association entered on a certificate as owner or joint owner of a Hornet.st january

3. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Association are to promote and further the interests of the Hornet Class and to represent the interest of owners of the Hornet racing dinghy as follows:

(a) to keep members informed of developments concerning the Hornet Class and any proposals concerning Hornet Class Rules.

(b) to organise Championships and to co-ordinate the programme for other races for the Hornet Class.

(c) to encourage National and International competition for the Hornet Class.

(d) to ensure and govern conformity on any matters relating to the Hornet Class Measurement Rules for anyone sailing a Hornet abroad and for any future International Association.

4. MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING RIGHTS

  1. The following classes of membership shall be recognised:
    1. Full Membership
    1. Junior Membership
    1. Temporary Membership
    1. Associate Membership
    1. Overseas membership
    1. Honorary Membership
  2. Full Membership shall be open to anyone owning and/or sailing a Hornet, a joint owner, or in the case of a Hornet owned by a corporation or Association, to a nominated representative of that organisation.
  3. Junior Membership shall be open to any owner or crew of a Hornet providing they have not reached the age of 21 on the 1st January of the year for which the subscription is being paid. After that age they shall become Full or Associate Members on payment of the appropriate fee.
  4. Temporary membership shall be available for anyone wanting to compete in any official published Hornet event in lieu of any other membership held.
  5. Associate Membership shall be available to any person wishing to support the objectives of the association.
  6. Honorary Membership shall be open to any person having an interest in the National Association in Britain who is proposed by a Full Member and seconded by at least one member of the Committee and is elected by Members of the National Association at any General Meeting of the National Association. Honorary membership is gifted for life.
  7. Overseas members shall be available to any member based outside UK and a member of an European Hornet  association attending  a UK Championship, subject to meeting the committee’s approval
  8. Members shall be bound by the National Association Rules.
  9. All Members of the Hornet Class Association entering a Hornet in races which consist of, or include, the class shall be bound by the Measurement Rules.
  10. Either the helm or crew of a boat must be Full, Junior, Temporary or Honorary Member to compete in any Class Event and a Full, Junior, Overseas or Honorary member at any Championship.
  11. Only full, Junior and Honorary Members of the Hornet Class Association shall be entitled to vote at a General Meeting of the National Association or in a postal ballot.

5. MANAGEMENT

  1. The National Association shall control the affairs of the Hornet Class which shall be managed by the Committee. The Committee shall be the only body empowered to make recommendations to the Hornet Class for changes in the National Association Rules or the Class Rules.
  2. The Committee shall consist of not less than six and not more than ten full members of the Association, elected annually at a General Meeting of Members (subject to (c) below), or by postal vote, as Committee Members.
  3. Elected Committee Members (other than the Chairman, Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary see (e) below) shall stand for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.
  4. The Committee need not fill a vacancy arising in the Committee unless the total number of Committee Members has dropped below the minimum of six. Committee Members appointed to fill vacancies shall remain in office until the expiry of the term of office of the person whose position they have filled.
  5. The officers of the committee (Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer) shall serve for a maximum term of three years subject to resignation and thereafter may continue to serve in the same capacity only if elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting is empowered to vote to insist on the resignation of the Commodore, Chairman, Hon. Secretary or Hon. Treasurer should it become necessary.
  6. At meetings of the Committee, one officer plus 3 other committee members shall form a quorum.
  7. The Committee shall have power to make recommendations to the Members in General Meetings, or by post, for amendments to the National Association Rules.
  8. The Committee will, within their control, arrange an Annual Championship of the Hornet Class.
  9. (i)  The Hon Sec will give notice of a committee meeting at least 1 week in advance with the agenda being published at least 2 days before the meeting date.

6. POWER OF THE COMMITTEE

  1. Subject to the provision of these Rules, and to the objectives of the National Association, as expressed in Rule 3, the Committee shall be empowered to perform all functions of management and administration.
  2. The Committee shall have powers to co-opt any full member to join the Hornet Class committee either as a temporary or permanent position, subject to Rule 5b) (maximum number of committee members). Members co-opted on a temporary basis shall have no vote in Committee.
  3. The committee shall have powers to appoint sub-committees and delegate them such powers as it deems fit.
  4. The making of payments on behalf of the class association shall normally be managed by the treasurer as directed by the Committee.  The committee shall report the agreed payment validation mechanism at each AGM. 
  5. In certain circumstances the Chairman or Hon Secretary will also have access to make payments when the treasurer is not available

7. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

  1. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Hornet Class shall be held, unless the committee otherwise determines, at the venue of the Annual Championship.
  2. Other (Extraordinary) General Meetings may be called by the committee as appropriate.
  3. A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Chairman or Hon. Secretary upon receipt by the Hon. Secretary of a written request, signed by not fewer than fifteen Full Members of the Hornet Class. Such meeting shall be held within eight weeks of a written request having been received. Only that business for which the meeting has been called shall be transacted.
  4. At least twenty-eight days written notice shall be given to Members of any General Meeting
  5. At General Meetings and Committee Meetings decisions shall be limited to matters on the agenda, and shall be carried by a simple majority vote, except where alteration of the class or measurement rules are proposed (see Rule 11). Voting shall be by a show of hands, unless a poll is demanded by not fewer than three of the Full Members present.
  6. At any meeting the Chairman shall have a casting vote. The Hon. Secretary shall be responsible for circulating all Members, or in the case of Committee Meetings, all Committee Members, with the result of any voting. In the event of a postal ballot, all returns shall be made to the Hon. Secretary within two weeks of the date of sending  the ballot paper.
  7. At any General Meeting of the Hornet Class, eleven shall form a quorum.
  8. At the Annual General Meeting of the Hornet Class, the membership shall:
    1. Elect a Commodore if required, who shall remain as Commodore for life, or until resignation.
    1. Elect a Chairman of the Hornet Class. The Chairman must be a Member of the Association. The Chairman shall be counted as one Member of the Committee of ten.
    1. Elect a Hon. Secretary. The Hon. Secretary shall be counted as one Member of the Committee of ten. The Hon. Secretary shall keep correct Minutes and records of all Committee and General Meetings and shall be responsible for communicating the decisions of the Committee to Members of the Hornet Class.
    1. Elect an Hon. Treasurer. The Hon. Treasurer shall control the funds of the Hornet Class: make such disbursements, as the Committee shall direct: present an annual financial statement at each Annual General Meeting. The Hon. Secretary may act as Hon. Treasurer. If the Hon. Treasurer is a different person from the Hon. Secretary, then the Hon. Treasurer will also count as one of the Committee Members.
    1. Appoint an Independent Examiner who shall verify the annual financial statement in accordance with the Hornet Class’ accounting and other records.

8. SUBSCRIPTION AND REGISTRATION FEES

Subscriptions payable for all classes of membership of the Hornet Class shall be payable annually and shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting for the following year. Subscriptions shall become due on 1st January each year. A member joining the Hornet Class after 1st October, whose subscription has been paid for that year, shall not be liable to pay his subscription for the ensuing calendar year.

9. ACCOUNTS

  1. The Committee shall cause true accounts to be kept in accordance with consistent accounting policies applicable to non-profit making organisations giving particulars of:
    1. All monies, assets and liabilities of the Hornet Class.
    1. All monies received and expended by the Hornet Class and the reasons for such receipts and expenditure.
  2. The Committee shall cause the annual financial statement to be prepared and presented at every Annual General Meeting of the National Association.
  3. The annual financial statement is to be prepared for the Independent Examiner’s verification, no later than the 10th March of any year.  The Treasurer shall make available a copy of the verified accounts to all full members, not less than four weeks prior to such meeting.

10. PROTECTION OF ‘ONE DESIGN’ OF THE CLASS

The Hornet Class shall promote the maintenance of fair racing within the designed character of the Class.

11. ALTERATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION RULES OR CLASS RULES

Any alteration to the National Association Rules or the Class Rules shall be passed at a General Meeting or by Postal Vote by a majority of at least two-thirds of those members present and entitled to vote, subject to the exception for postal ballots (Rule 13). Notice of any alteration of the National Association Rules shall be received in writing at least twenty-eight days before an AGM or EGM and any notice thereof shall be given by the Hon. Secretary to each member in writing at least twenty-one days before such meeting.

12. DISSOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

It shall be necessary to give notice as aforesaid, in Rule 7 of The National Association Rules, of any motion to dissolve The National Association and such motion must be passed by a majority of at least three-fourths of those present and entitled to vote. On such dissolution, the assets of The National Association shall be paid or transferred to such person or body as the meeting, by a simple majority, shall decide and in default of agreement to the RYA.

13. POSTAL BALLOT

The Committee, or The National Association at an AGM or EGM, may refer any motion to decision of the members by postal ballot subject to the following conditions:-

  1. Ballot papers shall be dispatched at least two weeks before they are due to be returned. A member not answering the motion by the cut-off date shall be deemed to have abstained.
  2. Each motion submitted shall be susceptible to answer by “Yes” or “No”.
  3. The Hon. Secretary shall communicate the results of the ballot to each class member..
  4. Any motion decided as aforesaid shall be deemed to have been decided at an AGM or EGM as the case may be, subject to their having been decided by an appropriate majority of those actually returning ballot responses.

14. NOTICES

  1. The committee shall use the most appropriate means to convey notice of meetings, motions, recommendations and other communications to the membership including the use of emails, class website and other electronic mediums. This also covers any item referenced as “Written Notice”/” Notice in Writing”/ “Postal” here within.
  2. Similarly, postal ballots may be carried using electronic methods providing the process is fully transparent to the membership.