IDNIYRA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I - NAME AND EMBLEM
The name of this organization shall be the International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association. Its emblem shall be the letters DN, placed on the sail in ten-inch letters, in red or other contrasting color.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
The Association's purpose shall be to promote ice yacht racing in this one design class, in boats built to the Official Specifications, and to sponsor class regattas.
ARTICLE III - ORGANIZATION AND FISCAL YEAR
The Association is one of individual members, acting through general membership meetings, and through the Governing Committee. The fiscal year shall be July 1 through June 30.
ARTICLE IV - DUES AND FEES
Association dues and fees to the North American Regatta shall be fixed by the By-Laws.
ARTICLE V - MEMBERSHIP
There shall be three classes of membership, as follows:
A. ACTIVE: Any owner or part-owner of a DN, in good standing. Privileges are to sail in the Annual Regatta, vote on the Association affairs, receive all Association communications, and hold office.
B. ASSOCIATE: Any non-DN owner interested in the affairs of the Association, in good standing. Privileges are to receive Association communications.
C. INACTIVE: Any Active or Associate member who has not paid dues in the current year by the time of the Annual Regatta will no longer be considered a member in good standing and will be transferred to inactive status. There are no privileges. Members must be Corinthians, and power to accept or reject applications for membership is vested in the Governing Committee.
ARTICLE VI - ELECTIONS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
A Commodore, Vice Commodore, Secretary and Treasurer shall be nominated at the annual meeting. They will be voted for by mail vote. Write-in votes will be accepted. The candidates receiving the greatest number of votes wins the election to that office. The term of office shall be one year. from July 1 to June 30 of the following year or until successors are elected. If an Officer's position becomes vacant before the term of office ends, the person to fill the vacancy shall be elected by the remaining Officers. Duties are as follows:
Commodore: To be chief executive, preside at all meetings, be chairman of the Governing Committee, rule on procedure and jurisdiction, summarize decisions, appoint special committees, authorize payment of bills. The Commodore will counter-sign any checks for expenditures of more than $1000.00. He will receive a photocopy of ail IDNIYRA bank account statements (including IDNIYRA checks and deposit slips) involving IDNIYRA funds within three weeks of being mailed by the bank.
Vice Commodore: To officiate in the absence of the Commodore. To help the commodore in the approval of N.A. and Gold Cup sites. To take care of perpetual trophies: 1) Make sure all perpetual trophies are returned, repaired, or replaced. 2) All perpetual trophies are to be properly engraved with winners names. 3) Make sure Perpetual trophies are delivered to the proper race officials two weeks prior to the regatta.4) The keeping of names and addresses of ail winners of the perpetual trophies and to pass such information to the new Vice Commodore.
Secretary: To keep minutes and other Association records, publish several newsletters each year and publish an annual directory. He shall publish any results of a membership vote with the full text of the ballot and vote count. He shall bring the records up to date, complete business pending from the Annual Meeting, and shall transmit all Association records to his successor as soon as possible after June 30, The Association shall purchase a $10,000 surety bond for the Secretary.
Treasurer: He shall maintain the Association membership list, collect dues, assign sail numbers, maintain association funds in a checking account, disburse funds on order of the Commodore, take care of all government or legal documents required of the Association, generate reports and notices associated with financial matters, respond to inquiries about the Association by interested non-members, oversee the sale of mail ordered goods sold by the Association. Complete an annual financial report as of June 30th. Deliver all Association records to his successor as soon as possible after June 30th. The Association shall purchase a $10,000 surety bond covering the Treasurer of the IDNIYRA. An annual audit shall be made of the Association books by the IDNIYRA Corporation or their designated auditor. Both the positions of Secretary and Treasurer can be held by one person, if necessary.
Rear Commodores for each of the 5 regions of North America shall be elected by the region they represent. If a vacancy exists as of May 1, the Commodore may appoint a replacement until the next regional meeting.
ARTICLE VII - GOVERNING COMMITTEE
The Governing Committee consists of its Officers, acting as a group. Its powers are to render final decisions on appeal, sanction or prohibit races in the North American and Gold Cup Regattas (when held in North America), accept or reject membership applications, approve the Race Committee for the North American and Gold Cup Regattas (when held in North America) and perform other duties mentioned in the By-Laws. The Governing Committee may initiate changes to the Constitution, By-Laws, Official Specifications, or Racing Rules by proposing such changes to the entire membership at the Annual Meeting, or by mail. Membership vote is required for enactment of all proposed changes. Otherwise, the Governing Committee may not change or modify any of the above documents although it has the power to interpret them.
ARTICLE VIII - MEETING AND QUORUM
The Annual Meeting shall be held during and in the vicinity of the North American Regatta, if possible. Special meetings may be called on the order of the Governing Committee or upon demand in writing by twenty-five percent of the membership. Exact time and place of all meetings shall be fixed by the Governing Committee. If a special meeting is called, the purpose thereof must be stated in such form as to permit voting by mail, and no other business may be transacted.
All proposals to be made at the IDNIYRA Annual Meeting shall be submitted to the Governing Committee in writing ninety (90) days prior to the meeting. All proposals so submitted must be published in the DN newsletter by December 15.
A quorum at a meeting is any number present. However, if less than twenty percent of the then-paid membership is present, all action must be ratified (unless rejected) by a mail vote. In addition, any action requiring a majority of two-thirds (such as amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws, or changes in the Official Specifications or Racing Rules) shall be put to a mail vote, regardless of the number present at the Annual Meeting. All meetings shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order.
ARTICLE IX-VOTING
A majority of the votes cast shall be determined on all questions not otherwise stipulated, and the chair (if in a meeting) shall cast the deciding vote in case of a tie. The chair also has the power to fix a time limit on speakers and discussions of motions.
ARTICLE X-OFFICIAL SPECIFICATIONS
Requirements for the yacht, sail, and attached equipment shall be set forth in the OFFICIAL SPECIFICATIONSOF THE DN ICE YACHT. In all cases where there is a conflict between the Official Specifications and the Official Plans, the Official Specifications shall prevail. Specifications, however complete, cannot anticipate every possible situation that may arise. If a point is not covered, a ruling must be obtained from the Governing Committee through the Technical Committee. The intended meaning and the basic principles of maintaining the DN as a one-design class shall be considered in interpreting any point not covered. If a point is not clearly covered by the Plans and/or Specifications, it must be assumed to be illegal. The OFFICIAL SPECIFICATIONS shall be enforced in two ways. First, any contestant or judge or Race Committee member at the North American and Gold Cup Regattas may file a protest against any competing yacht. Second, the Race Committee shall measure the first five place-winning yachts at the conclusion of each regatta.
ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES
Amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws, and changes to the Official Specifications* or the Racing Rules, may be made only after approval of the membership by a mail vote. A two-thirds majority of the votes cast is required. Changes in the Official Specifications shall become effective only if approved by July 1.* Otherwise they shall become effective the following season. *For changes to the Specifications and their effective date, please refer to the Specification Management System.
ARTICLE XII -TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
The Technical Committee shall consist of six members, three elected from North America and three elected from Europe. One new member shall be elected each year at the Annual Meeting for a term of six years. Upon resignation prior to six years, a replacement member shall be elected at the Annual Meeting to serve the unexpired term. Term of office will begin July 1, and expire June 30 of the appropriate year. Each year the Committee shall elect from its membership a Chairman to serve until June 30 of the following year. The Chairman shall report to the Governing Committee on all recommendations of the Technical Committee. The Committee may initiate changes in the Official Specifications by proposing such changes to the Governing Committee, who may submit them to the membership on a mail ballot requiring two-thirds majority for approval. The Committee shall, upon the request of any member or at the direction of the Governing Committee, provide interpretation of the Official Specifications. These findings shall be published in the Association Newsletter. Such Interpretations shall prevail as Supplements to the Official Specifications unless and until voided by a simple majority vote by mail ballot. If a Committee seat becomes vacant for any reason, the Commodore may appoint a replacement until the next Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE XIII - CLASS HISTRORIAN
The Class Historian keeps the class historical records, including, but not limited to past Newsletters, important historic documents and other articles of importance to the class. The position is appointed by the Governing Committee.