Lough Derg Jetski Club

Lough Derg Jet Ski Club Constitution

1. NAMES AND OBJECTIVES
1. The name of the Club shall be Lough Derg Jet Ski Club, hereinafter referred to as the Club.
2. The Term PWC herein and after refers to both Jetskis and all other powerboats.
3. The objectives of the Club are to promote the sport of personal watercraft and other water sports for pleasure recreation and other non-profitable purposes. To work for fair and equitable watercraft laws. To promote development of launching, parking and retrieval facilities at the slipway. To provide education, and promote safety in all water sports. To perform all desirable and lawful functions for the successful operation of the Club.

2. SAFETY
- To take all reasonable measures to make Jet skiing and Club activities safe for its members and the general public.
- All club members shall hold an ISA/RYA certificate of competency.
- Water safety exercises shall be carried out annually, educating all Club members with the safety requirements as laid down by the Club to satisfy legal requirements for insurance purposes, and maintaining safety.

3. OFFICERS
• The Officers of the Club shall be Full members of the club and shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Captain, Safety Officer and Communications Officer. The position of a Health and Safety advisor will be filled by an appropriately qualified full or honorary member and will be consulted by the committee as required.
• Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in each year.
• These officers shall constitute the Club Committee. All Officers shall be eligible for re-election.

4. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
1. The Chairman shall:
- Preside at all the Member’s and Committee meetings.
- Have a casting vote in the event of a tiebreak situation.
- Have general supervision of the affairs of the Club
- Assist all other Officers of the Club in their duties where required.
- Promote interest on the part of each member in the Club life and activities.
- In his absence, the Committee members present shall elect one of their number as Chairman by simple majority.
2. The Secretary shall:
• Keep full minutes of all Club meetings and handle club correspondence.
• Keep a register of club member’s names and contact information.
• Issue notices of regular or special meetings and events.
• Perform such other duties as generally fall to that office.
3. The Treasurer shall:
- Handle all club finances and maintain club financial records and prepare monthly and annual reports.
- Perform such other duties as generally fall to that office.
4. The Club Captain shall:
• Represent the club members at Committee meetings and act as a liaison between the committee and the club members.
• Stimulate interest in activities and assist in handling club and social events.
• Enforce all the club rules and advise on club guidelines.
5. The Safety Officer:
- Maintain a list of all members suitable to act as officials during club organized events and roster individuals as necessary.
- During club run events will oversee car and trailer parking.
- Be an active member of the events organizing team.
- Assist with the smooth running of club events.
- Attend regular members and committee meetings.
6. The Communications Officer:
• Communicate with the local press and relevant authorities of the progress and development of the club.
• Promote and advertise the club to the relevant bodies.
• His/Her duties will include club communications.
• Perform such other duties as generally fall to that office.

5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
• Candidates for Officer positions shall be those members of the retiring Committee eligible to offer themselves for re-election and other Full members present or represented at the meeting.
• If the number of candidates for election is greater than the number of vacancies to be filled then there shall be a postal ballot or an online/email vote. Results will be counted by two duly appointed returning officers and announced at the AGM. The winning candidate will have the majority share of the returned ballot forms.
• If the number of candidates for election is equal to or less than the number of vacancies to be filled then all candidates shall be deemed elected.
• If, for any reason, a casual vacancy shall occur, the Committee may co-opt a Full member to fill such a vacancy until the next following AGM.

6. MEMBERSHIP

There shall be the following categories of membership:

a) Full Membership – being the person registered with the Club as the owner of the PWC. He/She will have one vote.
b) Associated Member – family and friends of the Full member as covered by his/her insurance policy. These members have no vote.
c) Corporate Member – A PWC related business or concern with a working interest into jet skiing activities. He/She will have no vote. Advertising and sponsorship of events will be individually approved.
d) Junior Member – being a person who, at the date of election is under the age of sixteen and shall have no vote.

The Membership fee shall be proposed by the Committee and presented to the members at the AGM. Any proposed changes shall be approved by a majority of those present and entitled to vote and shall become operative with immediate effect.

Every member shall furnish the Secretary with up-to-date address and PWC registration information, which shall be recorded in the register of Members. All Members are individually responsible for remaining insured during their period of membership.

The Committee reserves the right to request copies of insurance certificates for audit purposes. Any member that is unable to produce evidence of insurance when requested to do so within a reasonable period of time may face disciplinary action.

The Committee may cancel, without notice given, the membership of any member whose annual subscription is more than two months in arrears. No member whose annual payments are in arrears may enter any club event or vote at any meeting.

Membership of the Club and acceptance of the rules by the member will be deemed to constitute consent to the holding of relevant personal data for the purposes of the data Protection Act 1984.

By accepting membership, applicants consent to the sharing of personal data with any necessary authorities.

All memberships are valid from the 31st March to the 30th March of the following year. Applications made for membership part way through the season will be subject to the full membership cost and no pro-rata costing will be entered into due to overheads incurred by the club.

7. APPLICATION FOR NEW MEMBERSHIP
• Application for membership shall be made on the appropriate form and sent to the Club secretary.
• Membership forms may be downloaded from our website or obtained from the secretary
• All members will be required to sign a disclaimer absolving the Club, the Executive Committee and Officers from any responsibility for injury, loss or damage however caused.

8. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

- Every member of the Club is deemed to have notice of, and impliedly undertakes to comply with the Club rules and current Bylaws and Regulation of the Club. Any refusal or neglect to do so, or any conduct, which, in the sole opinion of the committee, is either unworthy of a member or otherwise injurious of the Club, shall render a member liable to expulsion by the committee. PROVIDED THAT, before expelling a member the Committee shall call upon such member for a written explanation of the members’ conduct and shall give the member full opportunity of making an explanation to the Committee, or of resigning. A resolution to expel a member shall be carried by a simple majority vote by members of the Committee.
- In the case of expulsion, the member will not be entitled to a refund of any membership paid whether in full or pro-rata.

9. ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE

In order to make sure we have as little impact on wildlife as possible follow these simple rules:
• Avoid sensitive or restricted areas and stay clear of islands and sand banks.
• Do not approach or launch near roosting or nesting sites for birds, especially around high tide.
• Do not beach at sandbanks occupied by seals or where seals are in the vicinity.
• If you encounter birds or marine mammals slow down and give them a wide berth (c.200m).
• When passing wildlife, maintain a steady direction and slow ‘no wake’ speed.
• Never harass or chase wildlife.
• Avoid shallow waters where you may erode the underwater seabed.
• Avoid the low water mark where birds may be feeding.
• Do not dispose of any rubbish or contaminants at sea.

10. COMPLAINTS

- Complaints against another member of the Club must be made in writing and addressed to the Secretary for consideration by the Committee at the next meeting.
- Complaints of any nature relating to the management of the Club shall be made in writing and addressed to the Secretary for consideration by the Committee at the next meeting.

11. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB

• Management shall be vested by the Committee Officers
• Any two committee members are to sign all bank account withdrawals. The bank will be informed in writing of the authorized signatories and any changes will be agreed by the committee.
• The Committee shall make such Byelaws and Regulations, as it shall from time to time think fit. Members will be notified.
• The Committee may appoint such sub-committees as it may deem necessary and may delegate its powers, as it may think fit.

12. MEETINGS OF THE CLUB
- An AGM of the Club shall be held every year in the month of March on a day to be fixed by the Committee. The Secretary shall notify each member of the meeting.
- The Committee may at any time, giving four days notice, call a General Meeting of the Club for any special business.
- There will be a bi-monthly meeting for all Members of the Club. The Secretary will notify all members of dates, times and location as required.
- At every meeting of the Club members, or the Committee, the Chairman (or in his absence, any other member of the committee) will preside.
- All Committee members will be present at a Committee meeting to form a quorum, (in exceptional circumstances and when a committee meeting is considered urgent, one committee member can authorise a second to act as a proxy if he is unable to attend).
- Only Full members shall vote at any Members’ Meeting. Other members may attend but are not entitled to vote.
- Four Full Members entitled to vote and personally present shall form a quorum at any Member’s Meeting.
- In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote, on any matter other than the election of officers and honorary members.
- Voting, shall be a show of hands.

13. VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE
A vote of no confidence may be made at a regular member's meeting which is attended by a minimum of fifteen full members eligible to vote (including committee members). A written proposal must be made to the Club Captain prior to the meeting who will then table the item at the next available meeting. Voting will be a show of hands, with a majority win.

14. CLUB BYLAWS AND REGULATION
- All PWCs must be registered.
- All jet skis must be adequately insured and proof of insurance must be presented on request. (The minimum being public liability insurance).
- The wearing of a personal floatation device is mandatory on all club cruises and events.
- The Lough Derg Jet Ski Club rules and local bylaws must be obeyed at all times.
- Members must not ski whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- The member is solely responsible for ensuring his/her craft is seaworthy and mechanically sound.
- All members must use the slipway with respect.
- Members must ensure that cars and trailers are only parked in areas designated for parking; they must also ensure that such cars and trailers do not cause an obstruction to other vehicles and members of the general public.
- It is strongly recommended that all craft are equipped with a towrope, flares and some form of communication.
- Additional safety equipment should consist of the following: anchor, compass, knife, fire extinguisher, tool kit, spare spark plugs and money.
- Skiing alone is strongly discouraged.
- Members are encouraged to undergo ISA/RYA training.

15. DISSOLUTION PROCEDURES
i. In the Event of the Club ceasing to exist, and following the discharge of all debts and Liabilities, any proportional amount should be returned to members. Any assets at the time of dissolution shall be the property of a third party, as yet undecided, probably a charity.
ii. No Member shall obtain any asset of the Club, save a member who donated an item to the Club, he/she shall have the option of choosing to have his/her donated item returned.
iii. The Club may be wound up on a resolution of the members, passed by two thirds majority at a special meeting convened for that purpose upon the request of ten members of the Club. At least 7 days notice of the meeting shall have been sent to all members of the Club.
iv. In the event of the passing of the resolution to wind up the Club, the Committee shall be empowered
to distribute the assets, including cash and investments in hand.

16. REVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION
• This constitution shall be reviewed on a yearly basis. Amendments to the Constitution shall only be agreed at AGMS or EGMS. Additions to, or alterations of, the Constitution shall be submitted to the Secretary and discussed and voted at a General Meeting.
• When a request for a special meeting is submitted to the Chairperson by Members, the proposal shall be submitted to the Secretary and the Secretary shall inform members before the date of the Meeting.
• Any alteration to the Constitution shall require General members present and a majority vote.
• In the event of any questions or matter arising which is not provided in the Constitution, such question or matter shall be dealt with by the Executive Committee whose decision will be final.

17. ACCIDENTS AND THEFTS E.T.C.
The Club, Officers and Executive Committee will not be responsible for accidents, loss of life, injury or damage and the theft of property under any circumstances. Members, relatives, friends and guests, all users of the Club’s facilities and participants in Club events do so entirely and absolutely at their own risk.
Any provisions contained in this constitution, which are not in conformity with the Registration of Clubs Act 1904 - 1995, shall be deemed to be null and void.