By-Laws

   
ARTICLE I NAME
B-1   The name of this organization shall be "Great South Bay Yacht Racing Association".
   

a. The insignia of this organization shall be a drawing as illustrated in these By-Laws, of the Fire Island Light house surrounded by two concentric circles between which appear the words: Great South Bay Yacht Racing Association, Long Island, NY. The colors shall be a medium shade of green on a white background.

b. The burgee of the organization shall be a white rectangular flag with the insignia printed in green in its center.

   
ARTICLE II OBJECTIVE
B-2   The objectives of this Association shall be to:
   

• Promote sailboat racing, recreational and educational sailing, boat building, on the water safety, and maritime heritage.
• Improve communication among member clubs, fleets, and sailors.
• Establish the use of the Racing Rules of Sailing set forth by the International Sailing Federation.
• Coordinate a schedule of racing dates each year.
• Schedule and run the championship races as prescribed by US SAILING.

    ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
B-3   Membership categories in the Great South Bay Yacht Racing Association shall be those listed, for which application shall
    be made in writing to the Secretary of the Association, on forms provided by the Secretary. The application shall be accompanied by a check to the Association for the annual dues in that category.
B-3.1   Full Member Club
   

a. Full Member Clubs shall be yacht clubs and sailing organizations that have an established and sustainable presence on the south shore of Long Island, New York, shall be not for profit entities with the desire and capability to conduct races organized by GSBYRA, and shall foster the objectives of this Association. Full Member Clubs pay a one time Initiation Fee equal to the Annual Dues. Only Delegates from Full Member Clubs are entitled to vote.

b. Application to become a Full Member Club shall be referred to the Membership Committee that shall be appointed when necessary by the President of the Association with the approval of the Executive Committee. Such Membership Committee will review the application and recommend approval or disapproval to the Executive Committee within sixty days. The Executive Committee shall then present the application to the Full Member Clubs with a recommendation of approval to elect the applicant to Provisionary Membership for one year or with a recommendation that the application be denied. The Secretary shall mail a notice containing the recommendation of the Executive Committee together with the notice of regular or special meeting at which such recommendation will be voted upon to each Full Member Club at least two weeks previous to the time of holding such meeting. A majority vote of the Full Member Clubs present at such meeting shall be necessary for the approval of Provisionary Membership. If the applicant is approved for Provisionary Membership, it shall thereupon pay the Annual Dues.

c. At the end of one year, the Provisionary Member Club shall either request Permanent Full Membership or withdraw from being a Full Member Club in the Association. Withdrawal from the Association may be by formal written statement, or by failure to request, within sixty days from the first anniversary of election as a Provisionary Full Member, approval to Full Member Club. When Permanent Full Membership is requested, the Membership Committee will evaluate contributions made by the Provisionary Member to the Association and will recommend approval or disapproval of the request for Permanent Full Membership within sixty days to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will in turn make its recommendation to the Full Member Clubs by similar notice as given for Provisionary Membership, and in like fashion, a majority vote of the Full Member Clubs present will be required to approve Permanent Full Membership. When Permanent Full Membership is approved, the new Full Member Club shall pay the Initiation Fee in addition to the Annual Dues.

B-3.2   Affiliated Member
    Affiliated Members shall be sailing organizations or other groups such as museums or boat building centers located on the south shore of Long Island, New York, with the desire and interest to foster the objectives of this organization, and shall be not for profit entities. Affiliated Members shall pay Annual Dues equal to Full Member dues and are not entitled to vote.
B-3.3   Life Member
    Any member of any Full Member Club may become a Life Member of the Association upon payment of Life Member's dues in such amount as may be set from time to time by the Executive Committee. A Life Member is not entitled to vote unless he or she is the authorized voting Delegate of his or her Full Member Club.
B-3.4   Associate Member
    Any member of any Full Member Club or Affiliated Members may become an Associate Member of the Association upon payment of Associate Member dues in such amount as may be set from time to time by the Executive Committee. An Associate Member is not entitled to vote unless he or she is the authorized voting Delegate of his or her Full Member Club. Full Member Clubs and Affiliated Members are requested to have their members become Associate Members in order to support the objectives and mission of the Association.
B-3.5   Sponsoring Member
    Sponsoring Members are businesses or individuals that foster the objectives of the Association with an annual monetary contribution. Sponsoring Members are not entitled to vote. The Association and Executive Committee may set the amounts for each category from time to time and will recognize sponsors by category.
   

• President’s Club
• Benefactor
• Supporting Member
• Sustaining Member

    ARTICLE IV OFFICERS
B-4   The Officers of the Association shall be members of Full Member Clubs and shall be:
   

• President
• First Vice President
• Second Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Chairman of the Race Committee

   

a. An officer may be designated a voting Delegate of his club.

b. Officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting and shall hold office from the date of their election until the next Annual Meeting or until the election of their successors.

c. A Fleet Captain may be appointed by and hold office at the pleasure of the President.

    ARTICLE V COMMITTEES
B-5   Executive Committee - There shall be an Executive Committee whose members shall be members of Full Member Clubs. The Committee shall be:
   

• President
• First Vice President
• Second Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Chairman of the Race Committee
• Chairman of the Appeals Committee
• One Delegate from each Full Member Club, who may or may not be an officer of the Association. Delegates to the Executive Committee shall be designated by their respective Full Member Clubs.

B-6   Nominating Committee - There shall be a Nominating Committee of five elected at each Annual Meeting to serve for the ensuing year, none of whom shall be an officer of the Association and no two of whom shall be a representative of the same Full Member Club.
B-7   Race Committee - There shall be a Race Committee whose members shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Race Committee.
B-8   Appeals Committee - There shall be an Appeals Committee whose members shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Appeals Committee.
B-9   Scholarship Grants Committee - There shall be a Scholarship Grants Committee whose members shall be appointed in accordance with the GSBYRA Scholarship Fund Charitable Trust Declaration of Trust. (5/6/21)
    ARTICLE VI DUTIES OF OFFICERS
B-10   President - The President shall be Senior Commodore during Race Week and other events held under the jurisdiction of the Association. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Executive Committee and shall be a member ex-officio of all other committees. The President shall serve as Chairman of the Scholarship (Grants) Committee for the term of his/her election. The President shall be entitled to fly the flag of office adopted by the Association. (5/6/21)
B-11   First Vice President - The First Vice President shall assist the President and shall officiate in absence of the President. The First Vice-President shall be a member of the Scholarship (Grants) Committee for the term of his/her election. (5/6/21)
B-12   Second Vice President - The Second Vice President shall assist the President and shall officiate in the absence of both the President and First Vice President.
B-13   Secretary - The Secretary shall prepare and maintain minutes of meetings of the Association and Executive Committee. The Secretary shall maintain a current roster of membership in the Association and shall be responsible for the correspondence and meeting notices of the Association.
B-14   Treasurer - The Treasurer shall collect, receive, and deposit moneys in the name of the Association. The Treasurer shall maintain accounts in banks as approved by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall pay financial obligations authorized by the Association or Executive Committee and shall maintain financial records of all transactions.
B-15   Chairman of the Race Committee - The Chairman of the Race Committee shall be responsible for the conduct of races held under the jurisdiction of the Association.
B-16   Fleet Captain - A Fleet Captain, if appointed, shall communicate with the officers and skippers of the squadron, on behalf of the President. The Fleet Captain shall maintain order in the fleet and while on duty the Fleet Captain shall fly the flag of office adopted by the Association.
    ARTICLE VII DUTIES OF COMMITTEES
B-17   Executive Committee - The Executive Committee shall:
   

• Manage the affairs and policy of the Association,
• Appoint special officers and committees,
• Frame measurements and racing rules,
• Fill vacancies among officers and the Executive Committee,
• Determine and settle questions relating to yacht racing which may be referred to it for decision,
• Prepare and approve a budget prior to the Annual Meeting,
• Appoint a Delegate to US SAILING,
• Appoint a Chairman of the Appeals Committee.

B-18   Nominating Committee - The Nominating Committee shall nominate one candidate for each office as designated in Article IV, B-4 of these By-laws. The slate of nominees shall be delivered to the Secretary prior to the Annual Meeting. Other nominations from the floor at the Annual Meeting may be made and seconded from the floor at the Annual Meeting by authorized voting Delegates.
B-19   Race Committee - The Race Committee shall conduct and be responsible for races held under the jurisdiction of the Association.
B-20   Appeals Committee - The Appeals Committee shall hear all appeals involving solely the interpretation of the racing rules and class regulations.
B-21  

Scholarship (Grants) Committee - The Scholarship (Grants) Committee shall meet periodically and shall select GSBYRA sailors for grants from the GSBYRA Scholarship Fund Charitable Trust. (5/6/21)

B-22   Association meetings - The Annual Meeting of the Association shall be held in the fall of each year. Additional meetings of the Association may be called by the President and shall be called upon the written request of a Full Member Club. Each Full Member Club shall be represented by at least one authorized voting Delegate who should identify himself during the roll call of Full Member clubs. Voting shall be by Full Member Clubs, each Full Member Club having one vote.
B-23   Executive Committee meetings - The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President or at the request of a Full Member Club.
B-24   Committee meetings - Meetings of other committees may be held at the request of the committee's chairman or at the written request of a Full Member club.
B-25   Notices of meetings - Notices of meeting shall be distributed to the appropriate Full Member Club's Delegates at least two weeks before the meeting date. A notice of meeting shall contain at least the purpose and the business to be conducted at the meeting.
B-26   Location of meeting - Meetings shall be held at locations convenient to the Full Member Clubs, or the Delegates involved.
B-27   Quorum - A majority of the Full Member Clubs shall constitute a quorum. Absent Full Member Clubs may vote by written proxy on questions submitted in the notice of
meeting. Full Member Clubs voting by proxy shall be counted in attendance for the purpose of constituting a quorum.
B-28   Order of business - The order of business shall be:
   

• Roll call of Full Member Clubs
• Reading of the minutes
• Report of the Treasurer
• Communications to the Secretary
• Report of Officers
• Report of Standing Committees
• Report of Special Committees
• Unfinished (old) business
• New business
• Elections
• Adjournment

    ARTICLE IX ASSESSMENTS
B-29   Funds for current expenses shall be raised by dues from Full Member Clubs.
   

a. A Full Member Club that has not paid its annual assessment for the previous year by July 4th of a current year shall be suspended from membership in the Association.

b. Reinstatement of a Full Member Club may be accepted by the Association upon satisfactory settlement of unpaid assessment.

    ARTICLE X APPEALS
B-30   Appeals procedures shall be in accordance with the Racing Rules of Sailing adopted by US SAILING.
    ARTICLE XI RACING RULES
B-31   Racing rules a and management of races shall be in accordance with the Racing Rules of Sailing adopted by US SAILING except, as modified by the Race Committee and published in the Association's year book or Sailing Instructions, and as to classification and measurement of yachts.
    ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION
B-32   This Association shall not be dissolved so long as a majority of Full Member Clubs desire its continuance.
    ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENTS
B-33   No amendments shall be made to these By-laws unless a notice containing a copy of the proposed amendments together with the notice of regular or special meeting at which such amendments will be voted upon shall be mailed to each Full Member Club at least two weeks previous to the time of holding such meeting. A two-thirds vote of the Full Member Clubs present at such meeting shall be necessary for the adoption of any such amendment.
     
    Effective 5/06/2021