Lake Superior Yachting Association
ARTICLE I
NAME: The name of this regional yachting association shall be the Lake Superior Yachting Association.
ARTICLE lI
PURPOSE: The purpose of this Association is to promote and encourage sailing as a recreational sport and to provide direction and organization for competitive activities.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS: The officers of the Association shall be a Commodore, Vice Commodore, Secretary, Treasurer and Past Commodore. An officer shall be an owner or part owner of a sailing craft and a member in good standing of a member club of the Association.
ARTICLE IV
DUTIES: It shall be the duty of the Commodore to take command of the Association, to preside at all meetings of the Association and to enforce its by-laws, regulations, and decisions of the Board of Directors. The Commodore shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
It shall be the duty of the Vice Commodore to assist the Commodore in the discharge of his duties and in his absence to act in his stead.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a record of all association meetings and of the Board of Directors meetings. The Secretary shall keep a roster of the officers and committees, a roll of the members and of the yachts registered in the various fleets. The Secretary shall report to the Association at its annual meeting and to the Board of Directors as required.
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to collect all monies due to the Association, and shall make such disbursements there from as are ordered or approved by the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall keep account of all Association investments and make a report to the Association at its annual meeting and to the Board of Directors as required.
The Commodore may appoint such other committees as required to serve during the term of his office.
ARTICLE V
PROPERTY: All property of the Association shall be vested in the Board of Directors as trustee for the members thereof, and they shall have power to act for and bind the members of the Association as their agent in all transactions relating to such property. Said property shall be superintended and managed by the property officer who shall be appointed by the Commodore.
ARTICLE VI
STANDING COMMITTEES: All committees of the Association shall provide a report to the membership at the annual meeting.
The BOARD OF DIRECTORS shall consist of two (2) members in good standing from each member club and the five (5) officers of the Association. The Commodore shall call all meetings of this committee. A quorum shall be fifty (50) percent plus one (1). The ranking officer present shall chair the meeting.
The Board of Directors shall have the general control and direction of the policy of the Association.
The EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE shall consist of the executive officers of the Association. The Commodore shall call all meetings of this committee. A quorum shall be fifty (50) percent plus one (1). The ranking officer present shall chair the meeting.
The RATING COMMITTEE shall consist of a minimum of three (3) members from the Board of Directors with representation from at least three (3) member clubs. The chairman shall call all meetings of this committee.
The SCORING COMMITTEE shall consist of one (1) member from the Board of Directors with other members at large being appointed as required. The chairman shall call all meetings of this committee.
The APPEALS COMMITTEE shall consist of one (1) member in good standing from a
member club appointed by the executive committee as the chairman and at least two (2) other persons as required.
ARTICLE VII
MEETING: the Commodore or the Board of Directors shall hold the annual meeting of the Association on such Saturday in November of each year as shall be designated.
Special meetings may be called by the Commodore and shall be called by the Commodore upon the request in writing by three (3) Directors of the Association. Such special meetings shall have power to transact only that specific business for which the meeting was called. The Secretary shall notify member clubs in writing at least two weeks in advance and stipulate the business under consideration for any special meeting. The Commodore will hold such special meetings at the time and place as set forth.
The executive committee may act with or without formal meetings provided that all decisions are by majority vote.
All committee chairs shall have the authority to arrange and call their own meetings at a time and place most convenient to the committee. The Commodore may call a meeting of any committee as the need may arise.
ARTICLE VIII
ELECTIONS: The Commodore, Vice Commodore, Secretary and Treasurer shall be nominated from the floor and elected at the annual meeting each year by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. The term of office shall commence immediately upon election.
Each member club shall elect or appoint two (2) club members in good standing to the Board of Directors. These individuals shall be Directors of the Association and shall carry the voting privileges of their respective clubs.
ARTICLE IX
MEMBERSHIP: Membership in the Association shall be on a club basis, such clubs being recognized by the Canadian Yachting Association or the United States Yacht Racing Union. All members in good standing of said clubs shall have general privileges of the Association including committee membership, except voting rights at the Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings.
ASSOCIATE MEMBER (non-voting) CLUBS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED
ARTICLE X
DUES: Dues shall be two hundred and fifty dollars (U.S) per year. Dues may be adjusted at the annual meeting by the Board of Directors to meet financial needs of the Association.
DUES FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBER CLUBS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED
ARTICLE XI
The constitution may be amended provided that thirty (30) days written notice of motion is provided to member clubs and the Board of Directors prior to the annual meeting.
Amendments shall be made by a two-thirds majority of those members of the Board of Directors present at the annual meeting.
Dated: November 1991
LAKE SUPERIOR YACHTING ASSOCIATION
WHAT IS LSYA?
LSYA is one of 37 Yacht Racing Associations recognized by the United States Sailing Association. A brief description of some of the responsibilities of your association is found in the USSA annual yearbook. During the year LSYA is asked for input to the Yacht Racing Association Council and other activities of USSA and a voice at the annual meeting.
FUNCTIONS AND SERVICES TO MEMBER CLUBS
1. Chain of Appeals to USSA
An individual member of a yacht club may appeal a protest decision only to a yacht racing association, if further appeal seems in order, the individual member can then appeal to the USSA. This is, in effect, appealing to the highest authority and must have been heard by the appropriate YRA (see Appeal No. 255) before submission to USSA. Over the years LSYA has heard numerous appeals.
2. Area and National Councils
LSYA is required to participate on the various area and national councils to represent the voice of our sailors in such forums. Our interests are represented.
3. Facilitator and Clearing House Functions
LSYA functions as a facilitator and/or clearinghouse for regional, national, international events and regattas. Examples are the 3/4 ton Championship, Adams Cup (ladies championship), Sears Cup, Richardson Cup, Prince of Wales, Barthel Trophy, MORC International, San Juan International and numerous member club and association events. Our member clubs have hosted many of these events.
4. Interfacing Local Clubs
Concerns between member clubs can be handled by LSYA. This role has become more important in recent years. Our member clubs all have differing desires and goals and in many cases even sail in different areas. The main forum at which this is accomplished is the AGM. Open dialogue on individual club experiences in areas such as race programs, participation and membership provides varying approaches to improve services and programs. LSYA can respond to these situations providing counsel, help and/or advice.
5. Insurance
LSYA serves as an insurance umbrella under USSA providing additional coverage to member clubs.
6. Ratings
LSYA is a recognized USSA-PHRF fleet. This designation allows our ratings to be accepted anywhere you many choose to compete. In addition some of our clubs have chosen to use LSYA to rate their fleets thereby avoiding many of the conflicts a club may encounter by having internal rating committees. As an arbitrator, LSYA can also apply to another Association for rating arbitration. The LSYA rating committee is made up of a member from each participating club. The overall effect is objectivity with direct access to USSA information and database to set individual ratings.
LSYA is also actively developing an IMS fleet. IMS ratings may be obtained through the use of LSYA's licensed IMS measurer.
7. Sponsored Competition
LSYA administers or provides assistance to various regattas during the year. These are events that individual clubs might not provide for their own members or are in cooperation with other clubs. These include the Offshore Activities, the International and the Trans-Superior.
PROMOTION AND LOBBYIST
LSYA has promoted yachting as a recreation, membership in local clubs and participation in club and association activities through a variety of vehicles including a booth at the Minneapolis Boat Show.
LSYA has participated on behalf of member clubs and the boating public in general in areas such as maintenance of aids to navigation, closing and moving of Coast Guard Stations and marina development. Correspondence has been directed to politicians, government and private agencies.
OBJECTIVES
The stated objectives as written in our Constitution are as follows:
The objectives of the Association shall be to promote, encourage and develop the building, racing and cruising of yachts and yachting in general, to establish and enforce uniform rules for the government of all races in which yachts of two or more clubs compete, to promote safety of life at sea, and to carry on such other activities as may be beneficial to yachting.
October 1992