Constitution

Version 2.1

1. Title

The full title of the Association will be the 2000 Class Association.

2. Objects

The objects of the Association are to promote and further the interests of the 2000 Class and to represent the interests of members as follows:

(a) To keep members informed of developments concerning the class and any proposals regarding class rules. (b) To organise championships and to co-ordinate the programme for other races for the class. (c) To encourage national and international competition for the class. (d) To promulgate information on technical development within the 2000 class. (e) To keep an Association Register.

3. Terms and Definitions

The following defined terms will be used throughout this document:

(a) 'Address' shall include e-mail address where this has been provided. (b) The 'Association' shall mean the 2000 Class Association. (c) The 'Association Register' shall mean the register of members and boats (if appropriate), with relevant names, addresses, and numbers. (d) The 'Class' shall mean the class of sailing yachts, designed by Phil Morrison as the '2000 One Design', and subsequently manufactured in accordance with his drawings and specifications, including under the name 'Laser 2000' and '2000'. Unless specified otherwise, the use of the term '2000' in this document shall be deemed to include boats manufactured under the name 'Laser 2000'. (e) The 'Committee' shall mean the committee of the Association, consisting of duly elected Committee Members. (f) The 'Constitution' shall mean the rules governing the conduct of the Association. (g) 'Document' shall include, unless otherwise specified, any document sent or supplied in electronic form. (h) 'Electronic form' shall mean a document or information sent or supplied by electronic means (for example by e-mail or fax) in a form, and by a means that the sender reasonably considers will enable the recipient to read or see it with the naked eye and to retain a copy of it. This applies whether the provision in the Constitution in question uses the words 'sent' or 'supplied' or uses other words (such as 'deliver', 'provide', 'produce', 'notify, 'communicate', 'circulate', 'publish', 'post' or, in the case of a notice, 'give') to refer to the sending or supplying of a document or information. (i) The 'Measurement Rules' shall mean the rules relating to measurement, construction and racing conditions of the class and governing the building of each 2000 and its rating as a recognised boat within the class for class racing purposes. (j) 'Member' shall mean any person, persons, Group or Corporate organisation entered on the Association Register. (k) The 'Secretary' shall mean the duly elected Honorary Secretary or duly appointed Secretary, as the case may be, of the Association. (l) 'Virtual meeting' shall mean any formalised group discussion and/or decision making conducted in electronic form (e.g. group e-mail or online discussion board, as opposed to physical meetings). (m) 'Writing' and 'written' shall mean the representation or reproduction of words, symbols or other information in a visible form by any method or combination of methods, whether sent or supplied in electronic form or otherwise.

4. Membership & Voting Rights

(a) The following classes of membership shall be recognised: (i) Full Membership (including Individual, Joint, Family, Group and Corporate categories) (ii) Honorary Membership (b) Individual membership shall, upon payment of the prescribed annual subscription, be open to any owner of a registered Laser 2000 or 2000 Class sailing dinghy. Each individual member shall be entitled to one vote at a General Meeting of the Association or in a postal vote, to stand for committee positions, to have access to the website members' section, and to receive email communications. The Committee of the 2000 Class Association may permit an interested person not owning a registered Laser 2000 or 2000 Class sailing dinghy to take out individual membership when the Committee agree that legitimate grounds exist for doing so, provided that the total of such members shall not at any one time exceed five per cent of the full members. (c) Joint membership shall, upon payment of the prescribed annual subscription, be open to any owner of a registered Laser 2000 or 2000 Class sailing dinghy, together with a second, named, individual, both of whom shall be entitled to vote, to stand for committee positions, to have access to the website members' section, and to receive email communications. (d) Family membership shall, upon payment of the prescribed annual subscription, be open to any owner of a registered Laser 2000 or 2000 Class sailing dinghy, together with their named partner, and associated children not over 21 in full-time education. Up to two boats may be entered into events; two persons shall have the right to stand for committee positions; two nominated persons shall have access to the website members' section, and to email communications (subject to parental approval if under 16); and two votes may be cast on behalf of the family. (e) Group or corporate membership shall, upon payment of the prescribed annual subscription, be open, in the case of a Laser 2000 or 2000 Class sailing dinghy owned by a group or organisation, to the nominated representative of that group or corporate organisation. The nominated representative shall be entitled to four votes at a General Meeting of the Association or in a postal vote, to stand for committee positions (where they will have one vote in any decisions taken), to have access to the website members' section, and to receive email communications. Up to six boats may be entered into events by a group member; unlimited boats by a corporate member. (f) Honorary membership shall be open to any person who has rendered the Association eminent service provided that the total of such Honorary Members shall not at any one time exceed two per cent of the full members. Honorary Members shall be nominated by the Committee for election by members at any General Meeting of the Association. An Honorary Member may participate in Association events but shall be exempt from the payment of subscriptions. Honorary Members shall be entitled to attend and speak at any General Meeting, but not to vote. They may be co-opted to any committee positions, and shall have access to the website members' section. (g) Members and their respective helm or crew, entering 2000s in races which consist of, or include, the class, shall be bound by the Measurement Rules. (h) Members shall be bound by this Constitution. (i) All categories of membership shall have a single postal address for all mailed communications. In the case of joint or family membership two email addresses may be registered.

5. Management of the Association

(a) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, and in particular to the objects of the Association, as expressed in Section 2, the Committee shall be empowered to perform all functions of management and administration. (b) The Committee shall consist of a Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and not less than six and not more than fourteen Full Members of the Association, elected annually at a General Meeting of the Association, or by postal vote. (c) The Chairman shall serve for no more than three years, at the end of which period he shall retire, but may be co-opted on to the Committee and shall be liable for re-election after an interval of one year. (d) The Committee may nominate a member of the Association for election as President. Such appointments shall be confirmed by Members in a General Meeting of the Association and the President so appointed shall hold office for the ensuing year. The President may participate in any meeting of the Committee but shall not be entitled to vote at any such meeting. (e) The Committee shall have powers to co-opt any person or persons to assist it, whether a Full Member of the Association or not, but such persons shall have no vote in Committee. (f) 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. (g) The Secretary shall keep correct minutes and records of all Committee and General Meetings, together with the Association Register, and shall be responsible for communicating the decisions of the Committee to Members of the Association and, when directed by the Committee, to other interested parties. (h) The Treasurer shall control the funds of the Association, make such disbursements as the Committee shall direct and present the Annual Financial Statement at each Annual General Meeting, all in accordance with Section 8. (i) At meetings of the Committee, including 'virtual meetings', one-third of the elected Members shall form a quorum. Decisions shall be carried by a majority vote and the Chairman shall have a casting vote. (j) The Committee shall have the power to make recommendations to the Members in General Meeting or by post, for alteration in, or additions to, the Constitution. (k) The Committee shall have the power to recommend any changes to the Measurement Rules to the membership. (l) The Committee may arrange Annual National Championships of the class and shall coordinate such Regional Championships as may be required. (m) The Committee shall have the power to promulgate rules as required for Series and Events sanctioned by the Association. (n) Committee business may be conducted either by physical or virtual meetings. Wherever possible, two weeks' notice of the date, place and agenda for any physical Committee Meeting shall be given in writing by the Secretary to each Committee Member. Any business conducted by correspondence shall always be circulated through the Secretary and any Committee Member not answering a motion, communicated in writing, within three weeks of the date of sending shall be deemed to have abstained from such a motion. In the case of virtual meetings, unless stated otherwise at the time of posting, any Committee Member not answering a motion within two weeks of the date of posting shall be deemed to have abstained from such a motion.

6. Conduct of Meetings of the Association

(a) The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held annually during a Championship Event or at the last Open Meeting on the Class Association calendar, at a place judged by the Committee to be most convenient to the majority of Members of the Association. The precise date, time and place to be at the Committee's discretion. (b) A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Chairman or Secretary upon receipt by the Secretary of a written request, signed by not fewer than fifteen full Members of the Association. (c) At least six weeks' written notice shall be given to Members of any General Meeting. (d) At any General Meeting, decisions shall be limited to matters on the agenda and, other than those concerning Measurement Rules, shall be carried by a majority vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands, unless a poll is demanded by not less than three of the Members present. At any meeting, the Chairman shall have a casting vote. The Secretary shall be responsible for circulating the result of any voting to all members. (e) At any General Meeting of the Association, a quorum shall consist of 5% of the number of members registered at the end of the previous membership year, rounded up to the nearest integer.

7. Subscriptions and Registration Fees

(a) Subscriptions payable for all classes of membership shall be payable annually and shall be due on 1st March. A Member whose subscription has not been paid by 1st June shall be deemed to have resigned. A Member joining the Association after 1st November, whose subscription has been paid for that year, shall not be liable to pay his subscription for the ensuing calendar year. (b) The subscription rate for each membership category shall be decided by the Association in General Meeting. Note 1: A Group subscription covers up to six boats owned by a school or club to be raced in Association events, with additional boats charged at the prescribed rate. Note 2: The Corporate subscription covers an unlimited number of boats owned by an association or company whose members wish to race in Association events.

8. Accounts

(a) The Treasurer shall maintain accurate records giving full particulars of: (i) All monies, assets & liabilities of the Association. (ii) All monies received and expended by the Association and the reasons for such receipts and expenditure. (iii) All sales & purchases by the Association. (b) All expenditure shall be authorised in writing by at least one committee member in addition to the Treasurer, prior to payment being made. (c) The Treasurer shall prepare an Annual Financial Statement, covering a 12-month period from 1st March, to be presented at every Annual General Meeting of the Association. (d) A copy of the Annual Financial Statement, duly certified by an Auditor approved by the Committee, shall be published on the Association's website not less than fourteen days prior to such General Meeting and be available at the General Meeting.

1. Denial of Membership (a) An individual may be denied membership of the Association if, in the Committee's opinion, one or more of the following apply: (i) The Member has committed an unlawful act in relation to the Association or one of its Members; (ii) The Member has behaved in an unsportsmanlike or antisocial manner, contrary to the interests of the Association and its Members; (iii) The Member has intentionally violated this Constitution. (b) Denial of membership can take the following forms: (i) Temporary suspension (ii) Permanent suspension (iii) Refusal of Application for Membership (iv) Refusal of Membership Renewal. (c) An individual may be denied membership by the Committee but only after the individual has first been given, in advance, details of the reason(s), and has been given suitable opportunity to present details relating to the matter prior to the Committee finalising its decision. If a hearing is required to present such details, the individual concerned should contact the Secretary to arrange a suitable time and venue. At least two Committee Members plus the individual concerned should attend the hearing. If the individual wishes to be accompanied then the Secretary should be informed at the time the initial request for a hearing is made. After presentation of all details in the matter, at a hearing or otherwise, a period for evaluation will take place (maximum two weeks), after which the individual concerned will be notified of the final outcome. The Committee must be seen to be acting as independently/objectively as possible during this process. (d) A Member will not be entitled to the return of any part of their subscription in respect of the period for which they are suspended from membership. Interpretations AGM 2002: The individual is the Association member and not the boat. AGM 2005: Group and Corporate Members shall receive one copy/edition of all mailings (e.g. Millennium Mutterings).

Revision History

Version Date Author Comments
1.0 06.06.2000 Tony Okotie Original issue
1.1 18.10.2002 Ian Frogley 7a Timing of AGM changed 8b Group Membership added
1.2 12.10.2003 John Cox 7a Timing of AGM revised 8b Group subscriptions clarified 2002 & 2003 Interpretations added
1.3 12.03.2004 John Cox Section 10 added
1.4 20.09.2007 Andy Baldwin Title changed from 'Rules' to 'Constitution'; other references changed accordingly 4a, 8a and 8b revised to include Corporate Membership Terms & Definitions harmonised throughout 2005 Interpretations added
1.5 20.08.2008 Andy Baldwin 4d Honorary Membership revised 5d President inserted, 5i ISAF replaces IYRU 2.0 Draft 8 16.07.2013 Andy Baldwin References to Laser 2000 replaced by 2000 References to UK and International Associations deleted Section 3 Terms & Definitions revised and extended Section 4 Associate membership and requirement for ownership removed Sections 5 & 6 General and Committee meetings separated and updated Original Section 6 merged into Sections 5 and 8 Section 8 Accounting practice updated
2.08 05.08.2013 Jenny Macgregor Changes proposed in 2.0 draft 8 accepted at AGM 2.1 28.01.2014 Jenny Macgregor Section 4 Membership & Voting Rights revised

Last updated 19:36 on 27 August 2023