ISO Class Constitution (Rev. Sept. 2017)

CONSTITUTION OF THE ISO CLASS ASSOCIATION (UK)
(updated September 2017)

1 TITLE

The full title of the Association shall be the ISO Class Association (UK).

2 OBJECTS

The objects of the Association are to promote and further the interests of the ISO Class and to represent the interests of the owners of ISO sailboats as follows:

  1. to keep members informed of developments concerning the Class and any proposals concerning Class Rules.
  2. to organise the British Open Championships and to co-ordinate the programme for other races for the Class in the British Isles.
  3. to encourage national and international competition in Britain for the Class.
  4. to promulgate information on technical development within the ISO Class.
  5. to keep a National Association Register.
  6. to liase with the International Association when formed on any matters relating to the Class Measurement Rules.
  7. to enter into, hold and renew the ISO Licence, to grant sub-contracts under it and otherwise be empowered to do all things permitted by the Licence.
  8. to purchase, hold, maintain and refurbish the ISO moulds.

3. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Throughout these rules the following defined terms will be used:

  1. "The National Association" shall mean the ISO Class Association (UK).
  2. "The International Association" shall mean the International ISO Class Association, to control the affairs of the Class throughout the world.
  3. The Committee" shall mean the Committee of the National Association, consisting of duly elected committee members and co-opted members.
  4. "The National Association Rules" shall mean the rules governing the conduct of the National Association.
  5. "The National Association Register" shall mean the register of owners of ISO sailboats in Britain, with their addresses, name and number of boat, to be kept as hereinafter provided.
  6. "The Class" shall mean the class of sailboats designed by Ian Howlett and John Caig licenced to Isoteck Ltd and made in accordance with the drawings and specifications, and known under the name ISO.
  7. "The Measurement Rules" shall mean the rules relating to measurement, construction and racing conditions of the Class and governing the building of each ISO and its rating as a recognised boat within the Class for class racing purposes.
  8. "The Registered Number" shall mean the sail number allocated to the boat.
  9. "The National Class Secretary" shall mean the duly elected Honorary Secretary or duly appointed secretary as the case may be, of the National Association.
  10. "Owner" and "Joint Owner" shall mean any person or persons, corporation or association entered on the Register as owner or joint owner of a ISO.

4. MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING RIGHTS

  1. The following classes of membership shall be recognised:
    1. Full Membership.
    2. Associate Membership.
    3. Honorary Membership.
  2. Full Membership shall, upon payment of the prescribed annual subscription be open to any owner of a British registered ISO or, in the case of joint owners, to any one of them, or in the case of a ISO owned by a corporation or organisation, to a nominated representative of that corporation or organisation.
  3. Associate Membership shall, upon payment of the prescribed annual subscription, be open to any joint owner of a British registered ISO not being a full member, or to all individuals or clubs interested in the ISO Class in Britain.
  4. Honary 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 Association at any General Meeting of the National Association.
  5. Members shall be bound by the National Association Rules.
  6. Members acting as helmsman or entering in races which consist of, or include, the Class shall be bound by the Measurement Rules.
  7. Each Full Member shall be entitled to one vote at a General Meeting of the National Association, or in a postal ballot.  Associate and Honary Members shall be entitled to attend and speak at any General Meeting, but not to vote.
  8. All Full or Associate Members of the National Association shall ipso facto be an equivalent Member of the International Association when formed.
  9. Full and Associate Members shall have the right of full access to the Class Association’s website www.isoracing.org or any other website which may replace it.

5. MANAGEMENT

  1. The affairs of the National Association shall be managed by the Committee, which shall be the only body empowered to make recommendations to the ISO Class Association for changes in the Measurement Rules.
  2. The Committee shall consist of not less than three and not more than ten Full Members of the Association, elected annually at a General Meeting of Members, or by postal vote, as elected Committee Members.
  3. The Committee shall have power to co-opt any person to assist it, whether a Full Member of the Association or not, but such persons shall have no vote in Committee.
  4. No member shall serve on the Committee as an Elected Committee Member for more than three years at the end of which period they shall retire, but shall be liable for re-election and may be co-opted.
  5. The Committee need not fill a vacancy arising in the Committee unless the total number of the Committee has dropped below the minimum of three.  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.
  6. At its first meeting to be held immediately after the Annual General Meeting of the National Association, the Committee shall:
    1. Elect one of its members to act as Chairman of the Association for the following year.
    2. Elect an Honorary Secretary or appoint a Secretary, who shall keep the correct Minutes and records of all Committee and General Meetings, together     with the National Association Register, and shall be responsible for communicating the decisions of the Committee to members of the National Association, to the Secretariat of the International Association and, when directed by the Committee, to owners and joint owners not being members of the National Association.
    3. Elect an Honorary Treasurer, who shall control the funds of the National Association, make such disbursements as the Committee shall direct and present an annual financial statement at each Annual General Meeting. The Secretary or Honorary Secretary may act as Treasurer.
  7. At a Meeting of the Committee, one third of the elected members shall form a quorum.  A minimum of two.
  8. The Committee shall have power to make recommendations to the members in general meeting, or by post, for alteration in, or additions to, the National Association Rules.
  9. The Committee may arrange an annual National Championship of the Class and shall co-ordinate such Regional Championships as may be required.  All matters pertaining to International Championships held in Britain shall be settled by the Committee in consultation with the sponsoring club or clubs, the RYA and I.Y.R.U and the International Association when formed.
  10. At least three weeks notice of the date, place and agenda for any Committee Meeting must be given in writing by the Secretary to each Committee Member.  Any business conducted by correspondence shall always be circulated through the secretariat and any committee member not answering a motion communicated to him in writing within three weeks of the date of sending shall be deemed to have agreed to such a motion.

6. POWER OF THE COMMITTEE

Subject to the provision of these rules, and in particular to the object of the National Association, as expressed in Rule 2, the General Committee shall be empowered to perform all the functions of management and administration.  The making of payments and receipt of monies shall be validly evidenced only by the signature of the Treasurer or his Deputy as appointed by the Committee and payments or receipt of monies exceeding the sum of £500 shall require the signature of the Chairman and Secretary or Treasurer.

7. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

  1. The Annual General meeting of the Association shall be held annually each year between 1st March and 30th November in each year either in London or any place judged by the Committee to be the most convenient to the majority of members of the Association.  The precise date, time and place to be at the Committee's discretion.
  2. A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Chairman or Class Secretary upon receipt by the Class Secretary of a written request, signed by not fewer than fifteen Full Members of the National Association.
  3. At least four weeks written notice shall be given to members of any General Meeting.
  4. At any General Meeting or Committee Meeting decisions shall be limited to matters on the agenda, other than those concerning Measurement Rules and shall be carried by a majority vote.  Voting shall be by show of hands, unless a poll is demanded by not fewer than three Full Members present.  At any meeting the Chairman shall have a casting vote.  The 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 Secretary within two weeks of the date of posting the ballot paper.
  5. At any General Meeting of the National Association a decision to recommend a change in, or addition to, the measurement rules shall require a majority of two-thirds and subsequently have the agreement of Isoteck Ltd and the International ISO Association when formed before ratification.

8. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND REGISTRATION FEES

  1. Subscription payable for all classes of membership of the National Association shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting and shall become due upon admission as a member and thereafter on the anniversary of admission.
  2. <deleted>
  3. <deleted>
  4. Any member whose subscription has not been paid within three months of the date due may have his name removed from the list of members of the National Association by the Committee. A member's name may be restored to the National Association Register at the discretion of the Committee, on payment of any subscription due.

9. ACCOUNTS

  1. The committee shall cause true accounts to be kept giving full particulars of:
    1. All monies, assets and liabilities of the National Association.
    2. All monies received and expended by the National Association and the reasons for such receipts and expenditure.
    3. All sales and purchases by the National Association.
  2. The Committee shall cause the annual financial statement to be prepared and presented at every Annual General Meeting of the national Association.
  3. A copy of the annual financial statement, prepared for presentation at a General Meeting shall, not less than fourteen days prior to such General Meeting, be sent to every Full Member of whose address the Committee is aware.

10. PROTECTION OF "ONE DESIGN" OF THE CLASS

The National Association shall assist the International Association, to maintain the one-design character of the sailboat and shall report to the International Association any matter which may appear to violate or threaten the spirit of the Class Measurement Rules.