INTERNATIONAL ETCHELLS FLEET 11
UNITED STATES ASSOCIATION – FLEET 11

2003 Amendments to BY-LAWS of 1996 (revised April 2010)

Section 1 Definitions:
In writing
Notification presented in written English and conveyed directly by hand, by postal service mail, or by electronic means (e.g. e-mail or telefax) to each member’s address of record on Fleet roster.

Crew
Etchells sailors who do not have helm privileges as defined in these by-laws.

Helm privilege
The right and responsibility within the meaning of these by-laws to enter an Etchells boat in Fleet 11 competition, to steer the boat during the Fleet 11 Championship Series, and to be listed on records of the Fleet as the person in charge of the boat.

Race
Competitive sailing event

Race Day
A single day of the season on which racing is scheduled.

Registered yacht
An Etchells class sailboat that is owned or chartered by regular member of the Fleet and which has been entered in the annual Chicago YC One Design Program.

Season
The period of time that coincides with the series of races identified as the One Design Fleet Championship in the Chicago YC One Design Program and Notice of Race.

Skipper
Etchells sailors who have helm privileges as defined in these by-laws.

Yacht owner
The legal owner of an Etchells class sailboat; or an individual who has entered into a charter agreement with a legal owner of an Etchells class sailboat, the duration of which shall be no less than the season.

Section 2 Organization and Membership
ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this Association shall be the INTERNATIONAL ETCHELLS CLASS UNITED STATES ASSOCIATION - FLEET 11 (“Fleet 11” or “the Fleet”).

ARTICLE II CHARTER
Fleet 11 is an association of Etchells yacht owners in Chicago who are organizing for the purpose of competition in one design yachts of the type designed by Skip Etchells. The Charters and By-laws of the International Etchells Class (“IECA”) and United States Association are incorporated in this Charter by reference, including any subsequent revision or modification. The Fleet 11 by-laws set forth the organizational structure and the rules by which the Fleet shall be governed. The Fleet shall be operated on a non-profit basis. No officer of the Fleet shall incur any indebtedness on the part of the fleet, nor shall the Fleet operate at a deficit. Fleet funds shall be maintained in the Fleet General Fund, and other special or restricted funds that the Fleet elects to establish.

ARTICLE III FLEET MEMBERSHIP
There shall be two classes of membership in Fleet 11: Regular and Fleet Associate. Membership is renewable on an annual basis.

Regular membership in Fleet 11 shall be limited to yacht owners. In addition to the foregoing, to be a Regular Member of Fleet 11, yacht owners shall be members of the United States Etchells Class Association and the International Etchells Class Association; shall possess valid measurement certificates for each eligible yacht and any sails for such yacht, and shall have paid all dues and assessments of Fleet 11.

Each regular member shall be entitled to one vote, however co-owners shall not divide their vote.

Fleet Associate membership is open to crew and other interested parties who would like to receive Fleet or Class mailings and invitations to Fleet events.

IECA and Fleet 11 membership dues shall be payable and collected annually no later than April 1 by the Treasurer.

ARTICLE IV MEETINGS
(a) Frequency
There shall be a minimum of two Fleet business meetings each calendar year.

A Fall meeting shall be held annually between August 1st and September 15th. Officers for the following year shall be elected at this meeting and a Fleet budget, including the establishment of fleet dues for each class of membership, shall be approved.

A Spring meeting shall be held annually between February 1st and May 1st.

The Executive Committee may call additional meetings at its discretion. Any matter pertaining to the conduct of the Fleet, the US Etchells Class or the International Etchells Class may be discussed and, if required, voted on at a duly called business meeting.

(b) Notice A Notice of Meeting and preliminary agenda shall be presented in writing to all Fleet members no less than two weeks prior to the meeting date.

(c) Conduct Meetings shall be conducted using simplified Rules of Order (define)

Members wishing to place additional items on the agenda must contact the Fleet Captain prior to the meeting. The first order of business will be to finalize the agenda.

ARTICLE V VOTING
Regular members representing 51% of the registered yachts shall constitute a quorum at any business meeting. Regular members may vote by appointed proxy if the Secretary has been notified in writing prior to the meeting.

The election of fleet Officers shall be by a simple majority of the regular members present or represented by proxy at the meeting.

Any proposed changes to the Fleet By-laws must be mailed to the membership at least fourteen days prior to formal discussion. Passage of any change requires the approval of two-thirds of the yachts present or represented by proxy at the meeting who are entitled to vote.

On all other matters on which a vote is sought by the Fleet Captain, a simple majority of the yachts present or represented by proxy at the meeting who are entitled to vote shall prevail.

ARTICLE VI FLEET OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
(a) Officers
The Fleet business shall be conducted by the following elected officers: Fleet Captain, First Officer, Treasurer and Fleet Measurer. The general responsibility of the officers shall be the enforcement of IECA and Fleet 11 rules; cooperation with other Etchells Fleets, the Chicago Park District, and recognized yachting organizations; and dedication to the continued improvement of sailors and the Etchells Class.

The following are the primary duties of the respective Officers:

Fleet Captain is the presiding officer of the Fleet and is responsible for the conduct of all Fleet matters including, but not limited to, business meetings, interpreting and enforcing Fleet regulations, relations with the Chicago Park District, the US Etchells Class Association and the International Etchells Class Association, being the Fleet representative on the Chicago Yacht Club One-Design Committee, and preparing an annual Fleet events schedule for approval.

First Officer is the Secretary of the Fleet. The First Officer shall maintain the fleet roster and providing that information to the US and International Etchells Class Associations; give notice of all business meetings; keeping proper meeting minutes; and notify the Fleet membership in writing of official Fleet matters. The Fleet Officer shall assist the Fleet Captain, and act in her/his stead or perform such tasks as the Fleet Captain may assign.

Treasurer is responsible for collecting Fleet, US Etchells Class Association and International Etchells Class Association dues, paying all properly incurred Fleet bills from Fleet funds, publishing annually the financial status of the fleet and preparing the annual budget in cooperation with the Fleet Captain. The Treasurer will advise the Fleet Officer of the dues status of Fleet members as of April 1.

The Fleet Captain and Treasurer are the only members of the Fleet authorized to spend Fleet funds or to authorize payment of any bills as to be paid from Fleet funds. That authority is limited to items enumerated in the approved Fleet budget, and to non-budget items of less than $200.00. Expenditures in excess of $200.00, which are not presented in the annual Fleet budget, shall require approval by a vote of the Fleet.

The Treasurer shall administer the Spare Mast Program.

Fleet Measurer: Responsible for measurement of all new or substantially altered sails, updating each yacht's individual sail measurement form as required, and for keeping a record of each yacht's sail purchases. Maintaining any Fleet keel and rudder templates. Maintaining a copy of each yacht's valid

Hull and Spar Measurement Certificates. The Measurer shall post a list of the status of measurement certificates of all member yachts prior to the first race of the season.

Chicago Yacht Club Fleet Representative shall be a regular member of Chicago YC and a member of the Yacht Owners Assoication of that club, and shall represent the Fleet as a member of the Racing Yachts Fleet Committee (One Design Committee). The Chicago YC Fleet Representative may hold another Fleet office concurrently.

(b) Committees
The ExecutiveCommittee is a standing committee of the Fleet, and is composed of the Fleet officers.

The Social Committee is an ad hoc committee of the responsible for the planning, organization and management of Fleet social functions. The Executive Committee shall appoint the Chairman of the Social Committee.

The Nominating Committee is an ad hoc committee appointed by the Executive Committee no less than 30 days prior to the Fall business meeting. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three voting members of the Fleet and any prior Fleet Captain who is a regular member of Fleet 11. Members of the Nominating Committee shall not be eligible for nomination. Prior to the fall business meeting the Nominating committee shall propose for election a slate of candidates willing and eligible to serve as officers of the Fleet for the following year.

Other committees may be appointed as deemed necessary by the Fleet Captain or Executive Committee.

Section 3 Yachts and Equipment
ARTICLE VII MEASUREMENT CERTIFICATES
Each yacht shall posses a valid measurement certificate issued by the US Etchells Class Association. Such certificate shall be valid until change in ownership, major alteration or repair, or revocation. The Fleet Measurer shall be available to verify that yachts comply with measurement rules as promulgated in the International Etchells Class Association Rules. Fleet members are urged to consider the intent of Class and Fleet rules and consult with the Class Technical Measurement Committee prior to making any significant alterations to their yachts.

ARTICLE VIII SAIL MEASUREMENT
The Fleet Measurer (or a duly appointed measurer from another fleet) shall measure all new and substantially altered sails prior to use in Fleet racing. He shall mark each measured sail with the Fleet stamp, the date, and his initials. He shall update each yacht's Sail Measurement Certificate, noting each new sail in the yacht’s inventory. The Fleet Measurer shall maintain a record of each yacht’s measured sail inventory in a master file.

ARTICLE IX DRY SAILING
Based on the availability of dry sail space, the Executive Committee may annually develop a dry sail rotation plan for those yachts that wish to participate. Such participation is voluntary for yachts with wet moorings and compulsory for yachts with dry moorings. Wet moored yachts that wish to participate must equip their assigned mooring with a mooring pennant and swivel of sufficient length, and a cover or other device to limit scratches and scuffs from the mooring. Such equipment must be installed prior to the yacht's first scheduled dry sail interval. Failure to properly equip their mooring, or adhere to the schedule during a season may result in loss of dry sail privileges for the remainder of that season. Yachts with dry moorings shall be on a single axle trailer, with tires properly inflated and an working nose-wheel.

ARTICLE X SPARE MAST PROGRAM
The Fleet shall operate a spare mast program, participation in which by fleet members is voluntary.

Section 4 Modification of Racing Rules of Sailing and IECA Rules
ARTICLE XI HELM PRIVELEGES
Persons who are not current regular members of Fleet 11 shall be permitted to helm any race of any annual invitational regatta organized by Chicago YC (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Barb Fox Memorial, and Sheldon Clark One Design), and no more than one race day of the Fleet Championship on any one registered yacht.

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