1. EUROPEAN EIGHTEEN FOOT SKIFF ASSOCIATION
The Association forces racing on 18 Foot skiffs in Europe and forces correctness while racing and building/measuring boats. Building boats and any competition shall be made due to the European Eighteen Foot Skiff Rules. The association would provide good competitive racing to attract public interest. These rules have been framed to uphold this philosophy. Their aim is:
- to provide good, fair, close racing;
- to minimize the cost of competition;
- to produce an attractive vehicle for public entertainment;
- to improve the quality of international competition;
- to provide enjoyment for all competitors and
- to encourage new recruits.
In all cases of dispute, the intent and spirit of the Rules will take precedence.
2. LANGUAGE
The official language of the association is English
3. RACING
A race due to the European Eighteen Foot Skiff Rules has to be approved by the Association, see Annex 1. Each boat measured due to the European 18 Foots Skiff Rules may participate.
4. ORDINARY MEMBERS
Ordinary members are grown up boat owners of a boat that participated in a at least one of the races mentioned in Annex 1. There can only be one Ordinary Member for each boat. Ordinary Members can have a vote, elect associations officers and the associations secretary. They also may be elected as officers and secretary
5. EXTRAORDINARY MEMBERS
Extraordinary members do not have the possibility to vote or elect, but they may be elected as officers and secretary. They have to be informed about decisions and races.
6. BECOME A MEMBER
To become a member, the ordinary/extraordinary member has to sign a form, including his address and birthday. Ordinary members additionally have to fill in specific data on his boat and proof the race where the boat participated. The measurement form by one of the official associations measurers has to be added.
As soon as possible, but latest at the end of the year, the secretary shall force an absolute democratic decision within all ordinary members if the new member may join the association.
7. VOTES
Votes are held by electronic mail. Proposals have to be submitted to the official mailing list. Votes can be taken on the following subjects: rule changes, banning or joining boats/members, official decisions (absolute majorities of the valid votes, at least half of the members voting) or alterations of the constitution (2/3 majority of all ordinary members). Changing of rules and changing of constitution (except Annex) can only be done 1st of November.
Votes are to be held on one of the following dates: 1st of April, 31st of May, 15th of July, 31st of August during the racing season (April-October) as well as on the 1stof November and 31st of January in the remaining time.
Proposals for the votes have to be submitted 10 days (November and January date: 21 days) before the date of the vote to the ordinary members with voting right. Votes that are submitted to the secretary later than the day of the vote are invalid. If no answer of an ordinary member arrives at the secretary, its vote will not be counted. A minimum of three ordinary members can force the secretary to take a vote.
8. ELECTIONS
The associations secretary and officers are elected by absolute majority as described in "VOTES".
An election always shall be done within 21 days.
9. SECRETARY
A secretary shall be elected at the end of each year, latest to 31st of January of the next year. The secretary should act in the sense of the constitution and the rules. If there is a doubt he has to take vote to find a strongly democratic decision.
10. OFFICERS
Associations officers (technical, measurer, press) can be elected. They keep their job until they get back or any new officer is nominated and elected (at any date mentioned in "VOTES").
11. RACE COMMITTEE
The Race Committee is composed of volunteers who are helping the secretary for organizing the European Championship. The race committee is responsible to select the locations for these regattas, establish the Notice of Series and ensure the proper organization of each event in accordance with the opinion and interests of the whole class represented by the secretary.
Any Class Member could ask to become member of the Race Committee. The Race Committee members are not elected.
12. BANNING MEMBERS
If a member acts versus the constitution, the rules or a decision of the association it can banned by taking a vote (2/3 majority, at least half of the members voting).
13. FEES
The fees should be 20EUR p.a. for ordinary members and 10EUR p.a. for additional members. The fee has to be paid yearly, latest within the second voting/election of a year. If a ordinary member does not pay the fee he is automatically downgraded to an extraordinary member for the rest of the year (including the actual vote/election), or until it pays the fee. At the end of the year, the secretary has to propose members which have not paid their fee for banning.
14. 18 FOOT SKIFF ASSOCIATION RULES
Are described in a separate document called the European 18 foot skiff association rules.
ANNEX 1
Sailors participating in European Grand-Prix or UK Grand Prix, each of them only if sailed according to the current European 18 foot skiff association rules.
ANNEX 2
McConaghy, Australia (licence to 15th of Nov 2008)
Julian Bethwaite, Australia (licence to 15th of Nov 2008)
Dave Ovington, England (licence to 15th of Nov 2008)
Centre de Formation Maritime des Sables d´Olonne, France (licence to 15th of Nov 2008)
Stefan Rüger & Corsin Camenisch, Zurich (licence to 31st of Jan 2008)
Last Modififaction 1.11.2005