The title of the Association shall be "The National Scorpion Association".
2. Objects
The objects of the Association shall be:
a. To further the interests and administer the affairs of the Class.
b. To arrange for the organisation of Championship Meetings and other events encouraging the development of the Class.
c. To establish branches of the Association in places approved by the Committee, and to delegate to such branches such rights and responsibilities as the Committee may from time to time think fit.
3. Membership
a. Membership shall commence from the date of payment of the prescribed subscriptions and shall consist of the following classes:
i. Ordinary Membership
Ordinary Membership shall be open to any interested person. In a General Meeting, Ordinary Members may cast one vote. An Ordinary Member may continue as an Associate Member without being subject to election.
ii. Associate Membership
Associate Membership shall be open to any person wishing to support the objects of the Association, and who is elected to such membership by the Committee. Associate Members may not vote at General Meetings.
iii. Group Membership
Group Membership shall be open to any sailing club or organisation which is approved by the Committee. Group Members will share a single vote at General Meetings.
iv. Honorary Membership
Honorary Membership shall be conferred by the Committee on such persons and for such time as the Committee may think fit.
v. Joint Membership
Joint Membership of Northern Ireland Scorpion Association with the National Scorpion Association.
vi. Youth Membership
Youth Membership shall be open to any individual whose 18th birthday is after March 31st of that year.
vii. Student Membership
Student Membership shall be open to any individual who is in full time education and who is 19 or over on March 31st of that year.
b. All members shall be entitled to attend General Meetings and take part therein, but only Ordinary Members shall be entitled to vote.
4. Officers and Committee
a. These shall consist of a Chairman, a Treasurer, a Secretary and up to twelve other Committee Members, all of whom shall be elected by a General Meeting and shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting end and whose nominations, duly seconded, shall have been received in writing by the Secretary not less than 4 days prior to the General Meeting. The existing Officers and Committee may, without being nominated, offer themselves for re-election.
b. The offices of Membership Secretary and Class Secretary may be held by one person and the offices of Chairman and Treasurer may be held by one person.
c. Four members of the Committee shall form a quorum and the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
5. Management
a. The Committee shall have power to co-opt additional members.
b. The Committee may from time to time seek the opinion of Technical Advisers.
c. The Committee may appoint Sub-Committees and delegate to them such powers as it thinks fit.
d. The Committee may grant such honoraria and pay such travelling and out of pocket expenses as it thinks reasonable.
e. The effective rules are those currently issued by the R.Y.A. and are subject to alteration only by the R.Y.A.
f. The Committee shall manage the affairs of the Association in a fashion consistent with its objects.
g. At National and Regional Championships sponsored by the Association, either the helm or the crew shall be an Ordinary Member of the National Scorpion Association.
6. Association's Year
The Association's year shall be the calendar year.
7. Subscriptions
a. Subscriptions will become due on the date of joining the Association and thereafter on the 1st April of each succeeding year.
b. The subscription for Ordinary, Associate, Group, Youth and Student Membership of the National Scorpion Association may be decided by the Association Committee for the beginning of the subscription year, increases not to exceed 50% of the previous year's subscription: but shall otherwise be decided by members in General Meetings.
c. Honorary Members shall pay no subscription.
8. Conduct
a. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held once in every calendar year and not more than 15 months after the last Annual General Meeting. The precise time and date shall be at the discretion of the Committee.
b. General Meetings shall be called by the Committee
c. A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Chairman of the Committee or the Secretary upon receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing signed by not fewer than 12 members of the Association.
d. At least 28 days' notice shall be given of any General Meeting and 7 days' notice of any Committee Meeting.
e. At any Meeting, decision shall be by a majority of votes, the voting to be by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded by no fewer than three of the members present.
f. The Agenda at an Annual General Meeting shall include the election of
Officers and Committee passing of the Accounts. The appointment of the auditor and any further items of which notice has been given in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days before the date of the General Meeting.
9. Ballot
Any question referred to the decision of members between meetings shall be subject to the following conditions;
a. A notice will be posted on the Class Association web pages at least 21 days before the deadline for the vote
b. Members shall be notified by e-mail at least 21 days before the deadline for the vote.
c. Any member with no e-mail will be notified by post at least 14 days before the deadline for the vote.
d. Any questions submitted shall be answered yes or no. A vote not recorded in this form shall be void.
e. Members will be advised of the result of a ballot on the Class Association web pages.
10. Notices
Notices shall be deemed to have been served if e-mailed to the last known e- mail address of the member or posted by second class letter post to the last known postal address of the member.
(Constitution amended as proposed at the AGM held on 10/08/2015 at Lyme Regis Sailing Club and voted in by the majority of attending Ordinary Members – JM).
Extract from Mark Jardine’s interview with Tom Gillard re his (together variously with Rachel Gray & Andy Thompson) remarkable success in multi-classes this year …
"A good time off the water is just as important as the sailing, so I asked Tom which class, in his opinion, has the best social activities:
I would say the Scorpion. It's a chilled-out vibe, a nice bunch of people, with newcomers to the fleet alongside old hands, and everybody's very open about what they do to make the boat go fast. It's a real community. The class is going from strength to strength; whether you've got a wooden boat or a fibreglass boat, there's help everywhere, and no-one feels at a disadvantage."
