Club Name                                               1

Club Headquarters                                  2a

Conduction of written business             2b

Objective of club                                      3

Club badge                                               4

Club Pennant (remove?)                         5

Affiliations                                                6

Management of club                               7a

Vacancies in committee                         7b

Committee member absent                   7c

Secretary not to pay subs                      7d

Nominations and election to office        8a

Officers & Committee to resign at AGM 8b

Eligibility for office                                   8c

Election of officers and committee        8d

Secret ballot                                             8e

Business of A.G.M.                                   8f

A.G.M. date                                                9

Subscriptions & Failure to pay               10a

Subscription – non Working Party         10b

Subscription - Review of                         11

Annual audit                                             12

Club funds                                                13a

Club funds - investment of                     13b

Donations                                                 13c

Dissolution of club                                   14

Rulebook - Provision of                           15

Rules - Alterations to                               16

Matters not covered by rules                  17

Special General Meetings                        18

Members to attend meetings                  19

Conduction and control of meetings      20a

Officers to assist Chairman                     20b

Record of meetings                                  20c

Boat owners - Registration                      21

Membership application                           22a

Probationary period - New member        22c

Application forms - Issue of                      22e

Change of members details                      22f

Minimum age                                             22g

Temporary Membership (withdrawn)     23

Suspension of member                            24a

Expulsion of member                                24b

Suspended member - Subscriptions      24c

Suspended member - Fishing comps     24d

Cessation of membership - Lapsed          25a

Cessation of membership - Expulsion     25b

Cessation of membership - Resignation  25c

Cessation of membership - Nomination  25d

Clubman of the Year Trophy                      26

Life membership                                         27

Honorary membership                              28a

Honorary membership - Restricted         28b

Members reaching 65 years of age          29

Fishing competitions - Arrangement of   30a

Fishing competitions - Boats & Bait          30b

Competition – Must comply with rules      30c

Navigation and Seamanship                       31a

Members to give assistance                        31b

Members craft to carry flares                     31c

Members craft to carry life belts /

life jackets                                                    31d

Members craft leaving moorings               31e

Members craft speed of                              31f

Laying up adequate blocks and crew       32a

Laying up clearing of site                           32b

Alcohol & non medicinal substances        32c

Launching dates - Beachmaster                33a

Launching dates - Last weekend               33b

Launching dates - Number of launches    33c

Launching dates - Agreement of               33d

Launching dates - Penalties                       33e

Launching dates - Penalties waiver of      33f

Equipment - Responsibility of                    34a

Equipment - Loss, damage, abuse of        34b

Equipment - Report on unserviceability   34c

Equipment not to be loaned                       34d

Social - Organisation of                              35a

Social Affairs - Sub Committee                 35b

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1. The name of the club shall be Shoeburyness Watermans’ Association S.W.A.

 

2. (a) The Club headquarters shall be at the Cupids Country Club, Cupids Chase, Great Wakering, Essex. By kind permission of the Owner Mr D Ford. (amended AGM 2005)

  (b) All written business shall be conducted from the private address of the officer appointed to conduct said business.

 

3. The object of the club shall be to encourage social exchange amongst members and generally to promote their interests and well being.

 

4. The club badge shall be a seagull sat on the defence boom with a background half sea half sky, the whole surrounded in circular form with a knotted rope and the letters S.W.A. at the top of the badge within the sky background.

 

5. The club pennant shall be based on the club badge and all members who are boat owners shall own and display such a pennant whilst at sea. (remove?)

 

6. The S.W.A. will be affiliated to the Royal Yachting Association and or Association of Yacht Clubs of Southend on Sea and Area (interclub).

 

7. The management of the Shoeburyness Watermans’ Association

  (a) Shall be vested in a committee consisting of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Social and Entertainments Officer, Competition Secretary, Beachmaster, Assistant Beachmaster and six other members. Six to form a quorum.

  (b) The committee shall be elected at the A.G.M. to have power to fill vacancies in its members, to appoint officers for the coming season in place of any resignations and to call a general meeting at its discretion.

  (c) Any members of the committee, including officers being absent for three consecutive meetings shall be deemed to have resigned office unless a satisfactory explanation be forthcoming.

  (d) The Secretary shall not be required to pay subscriptions during his period of office.

 

8. Nominations and Election to Office.

  (a) Every member who has held office for a year and any committee member who has served a year shall automatically tender his resignation to become effective the date and time of the Annual General Meeting. At the General meeting before the A.G.M. the Hon. Secretary shall circulate amongst all members present a nomination sheet for officers and committee and each shall write thereon the name of the person he wishes to nominate for office or committee duty during the forthcoming year. The Hon Secretary shall collect this list and then it will be used as a basis for electing officers and committee by majority vote at the A.G.M.

  (b) Resigning officers and committee members may be re-elected provided their names appear on the nomination list and that they agree to stand for re-election.  

Members unable to attend the General Meeting before the A.G.M. may forward to the Hon. Secretary any nominations they wish to make so as to arrive not less than seven days before the A.G.M.

 (c) No member may stand for office or committee until he has been a member for two years unless invited by the committee and ratified by members at the AGM.

 

  (d) At the A.G.M. after acceptance of the Balance Sheet, all officers will vacate the table except the Hon. Secretary and voting shall commence upon election of officers for the forth-coming year; the Hon. Secretary will nominate three scrutinisers to count votes; once the Chairman has been elected the Hon. Secretary will vacate the table and the chairman will from then on conduct the election of officers and committee.

  (e) Election of officers and committee shall be by members at the A.G.M.

  (f) No business from the last general meeting be conducted at the A.G.M. except as may be covered by these rules.

The newly elected Chairman however, at his discretion may permit the transaction of urgent business once election have been completed.

 

9. The annual General Meeting will be held in January each year on the 2nd Thursday. Each member to receive at least seven days notice. (amended SGM Nov 2012)

 

10.(a) Subscriptions are due 1st January annually. Any member failing to pay his annual subscription by 1st April each year will be suspended without notification from the committee. (clarified AGM 2004)

(b)  All SWA members shall take part in at least one Working Party per year. Defaulters shall pay an extra Ten Pounds on their subscription. (Introduced AGM January 2016)

 

11. The annual subscription for membership of the club shall be fixed at each Annual General Meeting and reviewed at subsequent A.G.M.

 

12. A statement of accounts shall be prepared annually by the Hon. Treasurer and audited by two members other than officers of the S.W.A. who shall be elected at the preceding A.G.M. for that purpose.

 

13.  (a) Club Funds. Except by dissolution of the Club, no profits or funds of the Club shall be distributed amongst its members.

  (b) The Committee may invest the funds of the Club at such rate of interest and on such terms as they see fit in any of the following:-

1. In any of the major banks or Building Societies as deemed by the Hon. Treasurer and the Committee to be in the best interests of the Club. (amended SGM 7/9/2006)

1. In the purchase of land or buildings or in the erection (or subsequent alterations) of a club house or other building.

     (c) The Committee, or the AGM, may order to be subscribed to such organisations as it considers fit, the sums of money not exceeding £100 (RYA?) in any one case and not more than once in any one year to any one organisation. (amended AGM 2002)

    

   14. Dissolution. The club may at any time be dissolved by the consent of three-quarters (75%) of the registered members, testified by their signatures to an instrument of dissolution in take the form prescribed by the Treasury Regulations.

    

   15. Every member shall be provided with one copy of these rules free of charge but replacement will be charged for at current cost.

    

   16. No alteration to these rules can be made except at the Annual General Meeting or at a special General meeting called for that purpose.

   Notice to propose alterations to be published seven days before the meeting.

    

   17. The management committee have power to legislate on any question arising, which is not provided for under these rules. Decisions under this Rule (17) will be notified at the next General Meeting.

    

   18. A special General meeting must be called by the Secretary on receipt of a requisition signed by at least six members. Only business embodied in the requisition will be allowed to be discussed at such a meeting.

    

   19. Members shall agree to attend all General meetings, absence from three consecutive meetings will incur automatic suspension unless a satisfactory explanation be forthcoming, to attend the A.G.M. unless they inform the Hon. Secretary in writing at least seven days prior to the date of the A.G.M. of specific reason which prevent them from doing so. (not adhered)

    

   20.(a)Conduct of meetings. All General Meetings shall be conducted and controlled by the Chairman (or Vice-Chairman in his absence) who will exercise powers of casting vote in any vote resulting in a tie. The rule shall be ‘one speaker at a time’ and all proposals and comments shall be addressed to the Chairman. The Chairman may warn any member for infringement of this rule and may, if interruption continues ask the offending member to withdraw from the meeting until such time as he is recalled.

     (b) At all General Meetings the Chairman shall be backed and assisted at the table by the Hon. Secretary, Treasurer and Competition Secretary and these officers may not vote on any proposition but may be asked by the Chairman to speak or advise on any matter.

     (c) The Hon. Secretary shall maintain an accurate written record of the proceedings.

   The Agenda for the meeting shall be strictly adhered to.

    

   21. All members who are boat owners shall complete and forward to the Hon. Secretary, the club’s boat registration form and thereafter inform the Hon. Secretary, of any changes of details listed in the form.

    

   22.  (a) Every applicant for membership of the S.W.A. shall complete, in full, an official application from which must be signed by the applicant, proposer and seconder. The form shall then be submitted to the Secretary with joining fee and subscription.

     (c) Any person accepted for membership of the S.W.A. shall serve a one year probationary acceptance period. The committee at the end of this period will decide whether the conduct of the person meets with the required standards of the club. In the event of the person failing to meet the required standards of the S.W.A. Rule 24 will apply.

     (e) Application forms for membership shall only be given out at General Meetings by the Hon. Secretary. (does this limit us?)

     (f) Members shall inform the Hon. Secretary of any change in the details listed in the membership application form.

     (g) The lower age limit for registration with the S.W.A. as a member shall be sixteen years. (???)

   24. (a) The Management committee shall have the power to suspend any member, violating these rules or is guilty of misconduct, until the next General Meeting when he may be expelled by a majority vote of members present.

     (b) Expulsion of a member. The committee shall have power to reprimand, suspend (for a period not exceeding 12 months), or expel any member who shall infringe any rule, or, whose conduct shall, in their opinion, render him unfit for membership, but no member shall be reprimanded, suspended or expelled without first

   being summoned before the committee and full opportunity afforded him to advance a defence, nor unless two thirds, at least, of the management committee then present shall vote for his reprimand, suspension or expulsion.

    

     (c) A suspended member shall not be entitled to attend any General Meeting, nor vote at any club election, nor hold any office during his suspension, but he shall remain liable to pay his subscription.

     (d) A suspended member shall not be entitled to enter for competitions organised by the club Competition Secretary.

    

   25.  Cessation of Membership. (a) Members will cease to be members by non-payment of subscription (see rule 10). Any person whose membership has ceased through this clause, shall not again be nominated for membership unless he previously pays all arrears due from him at the of his ceasing to be a member, and, such other additional fee or fine as the committee may in its discretion decide.

     (b) By expulsion.

     (c) By resignation.

    

   26. “Clubman of the Year Trophy” shall be awarded to the member who, in the committee’s opinion, has made the most outstanding effort for and on behalf of the S.W.A. during the past year. Officers and committee members shall not be considered for the trophy.

   The Clubman of the year shall not be required to pay subscriptions during the year the award is made.

    

   27. Life Membership shall be bestowed on members who, in the committee’s opinion, shall be deserving of such a membership. They shall not be required to pay subscription but will enjoy voting and all other rights.

    

   28.  (a) Honorary Membership shall only be bestowed on persons outside the S.W.A. who, in the committee’s opinion, shall be deserving of such membership. They shall not pay subscription but will enjoy voting and all other rights.

     (b) The number of honorary members shall not exceed five per cent (5%) of the total membership.

    

   29. When a member reaches the age of Sixty-Five years and has completed five years membership he will be entitled to a reduced payment of annual subscription in the sum of Fifthteen Pounds as a “Recognition Fee”, but will retain all other rights. (amended AGM 6/5/2010)

    

   30. (a) Fishing competitions. A summer and winter trophy will be awarded to the SWA member who records the best specimen catch during each competition period. The summer comp will run from ? to ? and the winter comp ? to ?. For an entry to be considered it must be reported to the Competition Secretary and supported by the weight, length and photographic evidence. Entries will be judged against AT specimen rules with the Competition Secretaries decision final in the event of a tie. There is no limit on the number of entries a member can submit. 

    (b) Members shall make their own arrangements for boat accommodation and bait  for fishing competitions.

    (c) Members shall comply in full with the regulation appertaining to each fishing competition as shown in the rules of the competition circulated by the Competition Secretary.    

    

   31 (a) Navigation and Seamanship. See rule 5. All members shall comply with the rules and

    regulations laid down by the Corporation of Southend-on-Sea relating to mooring, speed of sailing in specified areas, laying up and traffic and parking regulations.

     (b) All members whilst at sea, will render assistance to anyone in difficulty or distress, but when such assistance is given to S.W.A. registered members all salvage rights shall be waived.

  (c) All members with boats shall ensure at least two Red Flares are carried in the boat whilst at sea, and that passengers and/or crew are familiar with the use of the flares and other methods of indicating distress or difficulty necessitating assistance.

  (d) All members with boats shall ensure that whilst at sea adequate life belts and/or life jackets are carried.

  (e) All members with boats shall carefully mark their mooring when leaving to put to sea in such a manner so as to be conspicuous but not to interfere with normal navigation, and when putting to sea to pass, in so far as possible, aft of adjacent vessels at mooring so as to avoid any possibility of causing damage to other mooring lines.

  (f) No member shall navigate his boat at a speed in excess of five knots until well clear of the moorings.

 

32.  (a) Laying up boat owners shall ensure they have sufficient crew to assist with beaching and launching and that they have adequate blocks etc. on which to stand the boat.

(b) Members will be responsible for clearing up the area adjacent to their boats when they launch their boats at the beginning of the season

(c) The use of alcohol or non-medicinal substances during beaching & launching is forbidden and could  result in a member being expelled if found to be in breach of this rule.

d) Any member selling his/her boat to a non member, whilst the boat is laid up, shall be responsible for ensuring the removal of the boat before the final launch day.

 

33.  (a) Date of launching to be given to the Beachmaster before 1st March

  (b) No bookings for the last weekend (working tide) before Corporation date

  (c) Number of boats launched on any one tide shall be left to the discretion of the beachmaster.

  (d) Dates agreed on the principle of “first come, first served.”

  (e) Any boat not ready on the date agreed, owner to pay a penalty of £25.00. If the penalty is not met, the owner shall be expelled from the S.W.A. and will make his own arrangement for his boat to be moved. (amended SGM 7/9/2006)

  (f) The Management Committee will decide whether or not to waive paragraph (e) in case of hardship, sickness or any other unforeseen circumstance. Committee’s decision to be final.

 

34.  (a) Any member borrowing club equipment shall be personally responsible for returning it to the place from which he obtained it.

  (b) If equipment is damaged through improper use or abuse or lost whilst in members care, reimbursement will be sought.

  (c) It is the member’s duty to report on any item that becomes unserviceable.

  (d) Members shall ensure that the club equipment is not loaned to persons who are not members of the S.W.A.

 

35.  (a) Social affairs. The management committee shall be empowered to organise social functions from time to time and for this purpose the committee be empowered to co-opt members family (wives and ladies, remove) to assist with catering and other relevant matters.

  (b) Those co-opted to form (ladies, remove) a subcommittee with Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and shall have resources to use any club materials in furtherance of their task.