By-Laws - Rule Change Proposal - Snipe Class International

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From[1]: Antonio Bari, Rule Committee Chairman

Summary: to update Sections 2, 12, 16 and 18 to the new General Restrictions and Constitution. To specify the categories of the Snipe events and the relative requirements. To better specify Measurers’ duties. To list sections in a more coherent way.

Affects:

Constitution By-Laws Class Rules

Deed of Gift Rules of Conduct NoR or SI Template

Other

Objective: To update the By-laws

Proposal (include current & proposed changed wording- changes to be shown in red): Example: By Laws: Section 1. Racing Season

The official racing sailing season of this Association shall extend for the full twelve months of the year starting on January 1^st and ending on December 31^st.

Section 1. Racing Season

The official racing season of this Association shall extend for the full twelve months of the year starting on January 1^st and ending on December 31^st.

Section 2. Racing Hull Numbers and Registration

New boats presumed to be built to the Class rules may be registered and have racing numbers assigned at any time after being completely constructed, by application to the National Secretary, and paying the fee applicable to the country. The owner’s full name and correct address must be supplied. Upon registration, the Executive Director shall assign the racing hull numbers.which must be burned, carved, or molded into the centerboard trunk or cockpit floor near the skippers feet, in an unobscured position in figures of a minimum height of 13 mm. No number shall ever be withdrawn; even though a boat is built outside the rules and restrictions, it must retain its registration number for identification. No number will be reassigned except to an old hull that has lost its original identification. Then an old, inactive number from the same period as the age of the boat may be assigned at the discretion of the Executive Director.

Section 3. Change of Address

Owners of registered boats are requested to keep the Executive Director informed of any changes in address in order to keep the Association’s records correct.

Section 4. Reregistration

Boats that change hands through sale or other means, shall be reregistered at the earliest possible moment by the new owner who shall notify the National Secretary of such change of ownership with full information as to the new owner’s name, address and where the boat will be located. If the boat’s name is changed, such information should be included. The applicable transfer fee shall be paid with all ownership changes. The letters on the mainsail shall reflect those of a skipper’s country of which he is a citizen or bonafide resident for at least one year at the moment of registration to SCIRA for the current year

Section 5. Measurement

Each boat, to be eligible to race, must hold a Certificate of Measurement recommended by the Measurer and approved by the Chief Measurerof the Association. To obtain such a Certificate the boat must be examined by the Measurer who shall report his findings on a Snipe Class Measurement Data Sheet currently approved by the Rules Committee. If the boat complies in all respects the Measurer shall fill out a Measurement Data Sheet (MDS) and send one copy ofthe same to the National Secretary with the owner’s current dues and the original to SCIRA Office. The owner then becomes a member of the Association.

Section 6. Fleet Measurer’s Duties

It shall be the duty of a Measurer to call to the attention of the Association any and all discrepancies not found to be within the tolerances shown on the current Measurement Data Sheets. Any discrepancy found on a professionally built boat shall be corrected before a certificate is issued. In case there are discrepancies on a home built boat, and if (in his opinion) the discrepancies are of minor importance of the boats sailing qualities, the Measurer may give a Limited Measurement Certificate good only for Club or Fleet races provided such discrepancies are clearly indicated on the Data Sheet. However, final decision shall rest with the Chief Measurer. Boats holding a Limited Measurement Certificate shall not race in any Sanctioned regatta or Major Championship.

When the Fleet Measurer is the owner of a Snipe, he should be the chairman of a committee for measuring boats and recommending issuance of Measurement Certificates. No person may take or record the measurements of a Snipe in which he is financially or otherwise interested. The Association may refuse to accept further recommendations for Measurement Certificates from any Measurer or committee that is found guilty of negligence or misrepresentation regarding measurement

Section 7. Measurement Fee

Measurement fees are fixed by the Fleet or by the Measurer with the approval of the Fleet. Of this fee the amount specified for each country shall go to the National Secretary, together with Measurement Data Sheet, which sum will be considered as the owners’ dues for the ensuing year.

Section 8. Measuring Unattached Boats

Boats may be owned in localities where no fleet is in existence. The owners of such boats may, upon application to the National Secretary, receive a Measurement Data Sheet to be filled in relative to the boat and sails. Upon returning this to the National Secretary, together with Class dues, a Provisional Measurement Certificate will be issued provided the boat and sails are found to be within the limits of the Class. This Provisional Measurement Certificate shall be subject to ratification by an accredited Fleet Measurer who shall re-measure the boat and who shall be empowered to recommend a full Certificate of Measurement. Provisional Measurement Certificates will not permit a boat to take part in any important fleet races, such as the Worlds, European or Western Hemisphere & Orient or National Championships, etc. qualifying regatta or Major Championship.

Section 8.1 Class Certificate

The International Rules Committee may approve individual measurers, e.g., a marine surveyor or a measurement committee at a national regatta, to recommend boats measured by them for Class Certificates. If accepted and issued by the Chairman of the International Rules Committee and the Executive Director, such Class Certificates shall obviate the need for a fleet Measurement Certificate and shall permit the boat to race without re-measuring the hull at all national level regattas, and below, unless challenged before a given event by two or more competitors or during the event by the Race Committee, or until any alteration is made. The International Rules Committee shall advise the Board of Governors on the administration of Class Certificates.

Section 9. Lost Measurement Certificate

If an owner should lose the Measurement Certificate for his boat, application should be made to the Fleet Measurer or SCIRA office for a new one.

Section 10. Racing Rules

All races shall be run in accordance with the racing rules of sailing of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) World Sailing (WS) as adopted by the national authority.

Section 11.Definition of Skippers

The term “skipper” where used herein or in deeds of gift shall be construed to mean the person who steers the boat. In point-score races only Senior or Junior Members of the Association or their regularly recognized crew may be the skipper of the boat. In sanctioned events only Senior or Junior Members of the Association may be a skipper. The same skipper must sail the boat throughout such a regattas.

Section 11. Certification by Fleet Captain

Each skipper participating in his National Championship or his Junior Championship must present credentials endorsed by his Fleet Captain, certifying that he/she has properly participated in five official point score races and/or sanctioned regattas of the current season.

Section 12. Crew Required

At least 2 persons must be aboard each Snipe in all races, including the skipper.

Section 13. Point Score Races

Each Fleet Captain must give at least 3 days notice of the dates upon which Point Score Races are to held. Results of Point Score Races should be sent to the Executive Director. Special forms may be obtained from the Executive Director for this purpose. Failure to report five Point Score Races for a season may mean the withdrawal of a Fleet’s charter and loss of standing by all members of such a fleet.

Section 14. Sanctioned Events Snipe events

Snipe events are divided into:

Club or Fleet regattas
Sanctioned regattas
Major Championships

A Club or Fleet regatta is a local regatta within the members of a single fleet or Yacht Club. Those regattas may be run using the Rules for conducting non championship regattas and may have not a PRO present.

A Sanctioned regatta is a regatta that is posted on the Snipe website listed in each Nation’s calendar and listed in the Snipe Bulletin. Annually each National Secretary presents the list of regattas to be sanctioned to the SCIRA office. Any regatta qualifying for a subsequent Major Championships must be a sanctioned regatta.

Recognition of a Sanctioned regatta means that at least all competitors:

1. all competitors are current members of SCIRA (both skipper and crew)

2. The boat is properly registered with SCIRA for the year with a decal displayed on the hull

3. The boat has a current MDS on file

4. A PRO is present

A Major Championship is a regatta assigning a World, an Area title or is a Regional Game. To be recognised as Major Championship the regatta must comply with the requirements of the Sanctioned regattas, the Rules for conducting National and International Championships, the applicable DoG and the WS prescriptions, if any.

All fleets and clubs sponsoring regattas are encouraged to have these events sanctioned by the National Secretary. The National Secretary and the District Governor (if any) should be notified of the dates selected as far ahead as possible and a request for sanction made on special Sanction Application Forms, which will be furnished by the National Secretary or District Governor (if any). These must be filled out in full and two copies returned to the National Secretary or District Governor (if any) for his final approval before submission to the Executive Director for official sanction and ratification of race dates. This is required to avoid conflict in racing dates and to ensure compliance with the Class “Rules of Conduct”. If there is any question as to the suitability of the answers given in this application, it may be referred to the Board of Governors of the Association for final decision. The Executive Director shall sanction the regatta upon recommendations of the National Secretary or District Governor (if any), unless there is good cause not to do so.

Section 15.

Section 16. Sail Markings

Snipe insignia, racing number and country identification shall be displayed on sails. Chevron awards may be displayed on sails.

Section 17

Section 18. Racing Sail Numbers

During all races, a skipper owner must use his own sails, and the number on the sails shall correspond to a measured hull on which dues for the current year have been paid. If an owner owns more than one boat, he may use numbers corresponding to either boat. In no event may two or more boats in any sanctioned regatta have the same sail number.

Section 19. Charter Fee

To be considered active each chartered fleet shall pay to the Association a charter fee annually at the start of each season. This is over and above regular dues of members.

Section 20. Publicity Committee

Each Fleet holding sanctioned regattas must have a publicity committee, usually comprising one person, whose sole duty it shall be to see that the regatta is amply covered by the press. In For sanctioned regattas, the publicity committee shall work to get complete press coverage not only locally, but also to the press associations, SCIRA office and social media. camera men, movie men, broadcasting and television.