Constitution

 Constitution 2020

1. Objects - To co-ordinate and encourage Offshore Racing by East Coast Yacht Clubs, to assist in the planning, organising, handicapping and communicating of race events. To champion & support all aspects of safety when offshore racing and to award points to competing Yachts and Yacht Clubs on the results of the season’s racing.

2. Membership - The members of the association shall be elected from those yacht clubs or organising authorities recognised by the RYA and whose members regularly participate in EAORA events. There shall be no individual members.

3. Membership Application - A club or organising authority that fulfils the requirements of rule 2 may apply to the Chairman for membership. The new member club or organising authority shall be elected at any committee meeting throughout the year by a three quarters majority.

4. Subscription Fee - For clubs whose member(s) participate in EAORA events the subscription fee will be £50.00. For those clubs whose member(s) do not regularly participate in EAORA events, the subscription fee will be £25.00.

5. Management Committee - The Association shall be managed by a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Secretary, Honorary Auditor, and up to a maximum of twelve other Committee members.

   a) The Committee may appoint a Vice-Chairman and co-opt a Chief Race Officer and additional Committee Members if considered necessary.

   b) In making nominations for Committee members the Committee shall ensure that it is representative of the Members' clubs both geographically and in the number of yachts participating in EAORA races.

   c) The Committee may delegate to the Secretary such functions, including financial matters, as it considers necessary.

   d) The Committee shall meet at least twice a year.

6. Officers and Committee – The Officers and Committee members shall be elected by the delegates at the AGM. Except for the Secretary, once Members are elected they shall serve for a period of One Year. The Secretary shall hold office for an undetermined length of time and shall cease the position either by resignation or dismissal.   

7. Procedure at General Meetings –

   a) Nominations for the Officers and Committee shall be made by the Committee. Any Member Club may make one nomination for each of the offices and for one member of the Committee by giving not less than one months’ notice in writing to the Secretary.

   b) If there are two candidates for any office, the candidate obtaining a simple majority of delegate's votes shall be elected. If there are three candidates, the single transferable vote shall be used. If there are more than three candidates there shall be a preliminary ballot, to eliminate all but three candidates obtaining the most number of votes.

   c) Each member club, which has had at least one boat racing during the season, shall be entitled to send one delegate to a General Meeting, and that delegate shall be entitled to speak, and to cast one vote on any proposal validly made at the meeting.

   d) Further, those clubs under whose burgee more than six different yachts have raced in EAORA events during the previous season shall be entitled to send an additional delegate, and if more than twelve yachts a maximum of two additional delegates. Each delegate shall be entitled to speak and cast one vote. The Chairman shall have the casting vote.

   e) The Chairman shall take the Chair and in his absence the Vice-Chairman, and in his absence a Committee member appointed for the purpose by the Meeting.

   f) All motions shall be determined by a simple majority of delegates entitled to vote, except elections or proposals to change the rules. The latter shall require a three-quarters majority of the delegates present and voting.

   g) People interested in EAORA racing, but who are not delegates, may attend a General Meeting, but may not speak, except at the invitation of the Chairman.

   h) The AGM shall be held on a Saturday after the last race, and shall be followed by the Annual Dinner and Prize-giving of the Association.

 

History - The East Anglian Offshore Racing Association was established in 1950 to co-ordinate and encourage Offshore Racing by East Anglian Clubs. Today, EAORA has more than 23 Member clubs, including Associate members in Holland and Belgium, who sponsor around twelve races each season, for which they award their own trophies. Subject to eligibility (See often asked questions) any club member may compete in EAORA events. Anyone interested in personalities and developments which make up the Association’s first half century should read ’50 Years of East Anglian Offshore Racing’ by Jan Wise, published by EAORA and available from the Secretary or Chairman.