Rules
[ Club Rules | Clubhouse Rules | Caravan & Camping | Boat Park | Moorings ]
NAME AND OBJECT OF THE CLUB
The Club shall be called the St Mary’s Loch Sailing Club, its object being the encouragement of Sailing and Kindred Sports on St Mary’s Loch.
HEADQUARTERS
The Club Headquarters shall be at a Club House erected on our land at St Mary’s Loch.
MEMBERSHIP
- The election of members shall be in the hands of the Management Committee. Application for membership shall be in writing and each application must be signed by the applicant. The application form must be returned to the Honorary Secretary and must be accompanied by the appropriate subscription. The Committee shall have power at the first meeting held thereafter to decide by a simple majority whether each application shall be accepted or otherwise.
- Any member desirous of retiring from the Club shall notify his intention to the Honorary Secretary on or before the 28th February otherwise he shall be liable for the next year’s subscription.
- Every member on joining the Club impliedly undertakes to comply with these rules and any refusal or neglect to do so or any conduct which, in the opinion of the Management Committee, is either unworthy of a member or otherwise injurious to the Interests of the Club shall render a member liable to expulsion by the Committee provided that before expelling a member the Committee shall call upon him for an explanation of his conduct and shall give him an opportunity of defending himself or resigning his membership. The vote on a resolution for expulsion shall be by ballot and the resolution shall only be carried if more than three quarters of the Committee present vote in favour of the resolution.
- Persons who have rendered service to sailing or to the Club may be elected Honorary Members on recommendation by the Committee.
ENTRANCE FEE AND SUBSCRIPTION
The annual subscriptions and entrance fee where applicable shall be fixed yearly at the Annual General Meeting.
- The membership shall fall into the following categories:–
Sailing Members, Family Members, Student Members, Cadet Members and Non-Sailing Members.
- A Cadet Member shall be any person over the age of 7 years and under the age of 18 years.
- A Student Member shall be any person over the age of 18 years and under the age of 25 years who is studying full time at University, Technical College or any other educational establishment.
- A Family Membership shall be available to an adult couple where both wish to sail, and to their children under the age of 18 years.
- Any Member who has not paid his subscription by the first day of April shall be requested, by the Honorary Treasurer, to pay the same within 14 days and if his subscription is not paid by the 30th April
his name shall be removed from the list of members by the Management Committee. A member’s name may be restored at the discretion of the Committee.
- The annual subscription shall cover the year from 1st March until 28th February. Any member elected after the end of November in any year, who shall have paid his subscription for that year, shall not be required to pay any subscription for the following year.
- No member shall in any year be entitled to exercise any rights or privileges of membership until subscription for that year and all arrears (if any) are paid.
OFFICERS
- The officers of the Club shall consist of a Commodore, Vice-Commodore, Rear-Commodore, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting each year and to hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual general meeting. The retiring officer shall be eligible for re-election.
- No candidate for election to any office (other than retiring officers) shall be proposed unless the name of such candidate and of his proposer shall have been sent to the Honorary Secretary one week before the Annual General Meeting.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
- The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the officers and not more than 6 other members of the Club elected by the Club at the Annual General Meeting and to hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.
- At the Annual General Meeting each year one of the elected members of the Management Committee shall retire in order of seniority of election, and in the case of equal seniority, the order of retirement shall failing agreement between the Committee members concerned, be determined by lot. The retiring member shall not be eligible for re-election to the Committee for a period of one year.
If 2 or more members leave in the same year Rule B need not apply.
- Candidates for election to the Committee shall be those members of the retiring Committee who shall be eligible for re-election and such other members of the Club whose nominations duly proposed and seconded by members of the Club in writing shall have been sent to the Honorary Secretary at least one week before the meeting.
- If a casual vacancy occurs the Committee may co-opt a member to fill the vacancy.
- If the number of candidates duly proposed and seconded exceeds the number of vacancies to be filled the election shall be by ballot.
- The Committee shall manage the affairs of the Club according to the Rules and shall apply the funds of the Club to the objects of the Club.
- The Committee shall make such bye-laws, rules and regulations as they think fit as to the management of the Club premises.
- The Committee shall form such sub-committees as it shall see fit. Such sub-committees will be held responsible to the Management Committee.
CHAIRMAN
The senior officer present shall take the chair at all meetings, and should no officer be present, the meeting shall elect a Chairman who shall have a casting vote.
DUTIES OF SECRETARY
The Secretary shall convene all meetings and minute proceedings. He shall keep a roll of the members and a Club Register of craft belonging to members.
DUTIES OF TREASURER
The Treasurer shall pay all accounts due by the Club. He shall receive all monies due to the Club and forthwith lodge in the Bank in the appropriate account in the name of the Club.
VISITORS AND TEMPORARY MEMBERS
- Members of recognised Sailing or Yacht Clubs may sail on St Mary’s Loch for 2 consecutive days without payment. For visits longer than this period a temporary membership must be taken out.
- Any one visitor introduced by a member may only sail on 3 days during the Sailing Season. All members must ensure that their visitors sign the Visitor’s Book on each occasion. Members wishing to introduce a guest more than 3 times in any one season must put the visitor’s name forward for temporary membership.
SAILING ON ST MARY’S LOCH
By arrangement with the Riparian owners of St Mary’s Loch and under the terms of the Club Lease, only Club members are permitted to sail upon the Loch. It is the duty of every member to ensure that this ruling is carried out and to challenge, if necessary, anyone sailing who is not entitled to do so.
INSURANCE
All members owning or using a craft must effect a policy of insurance against Third Party claims arising from the use of their craft, for a limit of indemnity as recommended by the RYA. Members of the Club, their guests and visitors, may use the Club premises, and any other facilities of the Club, entirely at their own risk and impliedly accept that:
The Club will not accept any liability for any damage or loss of property belonging to members, their guests or visitors to the Club.
- The Club will not accept any liability for personal injury arising out of the use of the Club, or out of participation in any race organised by the Club, whether sustained by members, their guests or visitors, or caused by the said members, guests or visitors, whether or not such damage or injury could have been attributed to or was occasioned by the neglect, default or negligence of any of the officers, Committee or servants of the Club.
- Before inviting any guests or visitors onto the premises or to participate in events organised by the Club, members will draw their attention to this rule.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Apart from any specific by-laws made by the Committee every member must at all times take full precautions for the safety of themselves and others and show due consideration to fishermen and other users of the Loch.
HONORARY AUDITOR
At the Annual General meeting each year a member shall be appointed Honorary Auditor whose duty it shall be to audit the accounts of the Club for the current year. In the event that he is unwilling or unable to act, the Committee shall appoint a substitute.
GENERAL MEETING
- An Annual General Meeting shall be held at a place to be decided by the Committee and on some day in January or February to be fixed by the Commodore. The Honorary Secretary shall give 14 days clear notice to each member, giving time and place of the meeting and stating the business to be brought forward. A Quorum at an Annual General Meeting shall consist of a minimum of 15 voting members.
- No business (except the passing of the accounts and the election of the officers, Committee and Honorary Auditor), and any business that the Committee may order to be inserted in the notice convening the meeting shall be discussed at such meeting unless notice thereof be given in writing to the Honorary Secretary before the 14th December.
- The Committee may, on giving 14 days notice, call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club for any specific business, the nature of which shall be stated on the Summons convening the meeting and the discussion at such meeting shall be confined to that business only. A Quorum at an Extraordinary General Meeting shall consist of not less than 15 Voting Members.
- At an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club, each Sailing, Student and Adult Family Member shall have one vote; Honorary, Non-Sailing and Cadet Members shall be entitled to attend an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting but shall have no vote. In case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
NEW RULES, AMENDMENTS AND ALTERATIONS
- Notice of any alteration or addition to the rules intended to be proposed by a member of the Club shall be given to the Secretary in writing before the 14th December if the same is to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting at which the same is brought forward, and full particulars of any such proposed alterations or additions shall be set out in the notice convening the meeting.
- All such proposed alterations or additions and any amendments to them which may be proposed and seconded shall be put to the vote at the meeting, and provided a show of hands or, if demanded, on a poll, a majority of two-thirds of the votes of these members present and voting shall be cast in favour of any proposed alterations or additions or amendments then the same shall be deemed carried.
POWERS TO BORROW
The Club shall have powers to borrow, from time to time, sums of money to further the interests of the Club. The amounts to be determined by the members in General Meeting.
[ Club Rules | Clubhouse Rules | Caravan & Camping | Boat Park | Moorings ]
Please note the following Clubhouse Rules which are constructed for the benefit of all members:
- Club keys are issued to adult members of the Club on request after payment of the refundable deposit. These keys remain the property of the Club and must be returned to the Club on demand or when that person ceases to be a member. The Treasurer will maintain a list of keyholders.
- Security of the Club premises is the responsibility of all members and in particular:
- Keyholders are responsible for their keys and should not allow them to be used by non-members or other unauthorised persons. Loss of a key should be reported to the Treasurer.
- The last person to leave the Club must ensure that:
- The electricity is shut off.
- Taps and showers are shut off.
- Clubhouse windows and exterior doors are shut and locked.
- Boat shed doors and field gates are shut and locked.
- The Starter’s Box is strictly out of bounds to everyone except the Duty Officer and helpers, Flag Officers and Committee Members.
- Club rescue boats may only be coxed by members whose names appear on the current list of authorised users. Members under training may cox the rescue boats only under supervision of an authorised user.
- Please keep the Clubhouse and Club grounds clean and tidy at all times – remember it is your fellow members who have to clean up if you leave a mess. In particular:
- Take all your rubbish and food waste away with you.
- Ensure that the basins and showers are left in a clean condition after use.
- Boat gear must not be left in the Clubhouse.
- Sailing gear deemed to be abandoned in the Clubhouse will be disposed of.
- Wet sailors should not use the carpeted portion of the Clubhouse or the upholstered seats.
- Brushes, buckets, mops etc are provided and members are urged to use this equipment in keeping the Clubhouse and its furnishings clean and dry for the benefit of all.
- Club members may introduce guests to the Club as shown in the Club rules. All guests’ names and addresses will be entered in the book kept in the Clubhouse for this purpose.
- Members discovering damage to the Clubhouse or Club property are asked to report details to a Committee Member as soon as possible.
[ Club Rules | Clubhouse Rules | Caravan & Camping | Boat Park | Moorings ]
- The lease of caravan sites shall be to full members of the Club and shall normally continue from year to year. It is in the interest of the Club that the sites shall be occupied by members who will actively participate in the sailing and / or administration of the Club and shall occupy the caravan on a regular basis. The Committee may in its full discretion decline to renew a lease if in its opinion these conditions are not being met.
- Please park cars parallel with caravan.
- Between sites three to fourteen, please leave the access road behind vans clear.
- Please dispose of all waste water in Clubhouse drains or a waste pit may be dug with the Committee’s permission.
- No washing to be strung up between trees.
- Please keep site neat and tidy at all times.
- Caravanners using Clubhouse please help to keep toilet facilities etc clean.
- Please note it is strictly prohibited for a lessee of a caravan to sublet, without the Committee’s agreement.
- Please take all rubbish home as there is no refuse collection from the Club.
- All vans must be removed from site between 1st November and 31st March.
- All persons using caravans must be full Club members.
- If a site is to be temporarily vacated, the lessee must inform the Secretary in advance by giving 28 days notice. The site, with the agreement of the Committee and the lessee, may then be sublet for the vacated period.
- Members of the Club may camp in the Club grounds for a maximum of two nights at a time. The camping fee should be paid to the Treasurer.
[ Club Rules | Clubhouse Rules | Caravan & Camping | Boat Park | Moorings ]
- All members are welcome to leave boats in the boat park on the understanding that this is done entirely at their own risk.
- Space on the sailboard rack is available on payment of an annual fee. A list of those using the sailboard rack is maintained by the nominated Committee Member.
- All boats left in the boat park must carry a current identification sticker on the transom. The position of the boat in the boat park should also be recorded on the chart in the Clubhouse: use the number on the post immediately to the right of the boat as viewed from the path. Unidentified boats and other equipment left on Club property will be deemed to be abandoned and may be disposed of at the Committee’s discretion.
- All boats and other equipment must be removed from the boat park and sailboard rack between 1st November and 31st March. Items left on Club property during this period will be deemed to be abandoned and may be disposed of at the Committee’s discretion.
- Every effort must be made to keep the boat park tidy.
- All boats in the boat park must be properly secured so that they cannot be blown over.
As well as being damaged itself, a boat being blown over may cause serious damage to
neighbouring boats: it is important that precautions are taken to avoid this.
[ Club Rules | Clubhouse Rules | Caravan & Camping | Boat Park | Moorings ]
- Club moorings are limited in numbers and are granted to Club members annually.
- There is no “tenancy right” but members will normally be granted moorings year-on-year so long as they make good use of the facilities and are active in Club affairs.
- No charge is made for moorings but the provision and maintenance of ground tackle is entirely the responsibility of the mooring holder.
- Ground tackle must be set in position as agreed by the Club Mooring Officer and the Club reserve the right to require such tackle to be lifted or moved where this is considered necessary.