Club Rules

NAME
The name of the Club shall be “The Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club”, hereinafter referred to as “the Club”.
CLUB FLAG
The Club Flag shall be as decided by the members in General Meeting.
OBJECTS
1. The objects of the Club shall be:
  1. The encouragement of yacht sailing and racing
  2. The provision and maintenance of clubhouse facilities for members
  3. The encouragement of social activities
  4. The provision of Club boats for members
  5. The provision of seamanship and boat handling training to RYA standards
  The Club recognises and challenges the existence of discrimination in society. It is committed to providing equally beneficial facilities and services to all members, visitors and staff; it therefore pledges to take action to redress discrimination (both direct and indirect) on grounds of gender, race, sexual orientation or disability in its practices. The Club will ensure that all its procedures and practices in relation to the foregoing are free of any discrimination basis.
MEMBERSHIP
1. The classes of membership of the Club shall be Ordinary, Family, Life, Honorary, Extraordinary, Senior, Temporary, and Cadet. Members, other than Cadets, shall not be less than eighteen years of age when elected. The number of Ordinary Members, including Senior Members, shall not exceed 1,500. Should there be more candidates for membership than there are vacancies, priority shall be given to those:
  1. Who are owners of yachts
  2. Whose husbands or wives are members
  3. Whose parents or either of them are members
  4. Who have been Cadet Members for at least two years
  The Rules and bye-laws of the Club shall be equally binding upon all members unless the contrary is expressly stated. Only Ordinary, Life, Honorary, Senior, and Family Members over the age of 18 shall have full voting rights
2. ORDINARY MEMBERS
  Applications from persons, proposed and seconded by Members for admission as Ordinary or Cadet Members shall be considered by the Committee at regular intervals throughout the year. The names of candidates, their address, and the names of their Proposer and Seconder shall be posted on the Club notice board for at least 21 days. Any Member may provide a Member of the Committee with any information they wish to give either for or against the admission of a candidate. Any such information supplied shall be treated as confidential. All applications shall be submitted to the Committee who shall decide by ballot upon the admission or rejection of candidates. Seven Members of Committee shall be a quorum at such a ballot and no candidate shall be held to be elected unless all have voted in this ballot. A candidate shall be admitted to membership by a simple majority of those present and voting. Ordinary, Life or Senior Members shall be permitted by written application to the Secretary to apply for their Spouse to be admitted as an Ordinary Member. Such candidates for Ordinary Membership shall not have to be proposed or seconded nor their names exhibited. They shall be liable for an annual subscription of 25% of the otherwise appropriate rate
3. FAMILY MEMBERS
  Ordinary, Life or Senior Members shall be permitted by written application to the Secretary to apply for admission of their spouse and any children of eight and over and under 18 years of age as Family Members. Such candidates for Family Membership shall not have to be proposed or seconded nor their names exhibited. Spouses admitted under this Rule shall be liable for an annual subscription of 25% of the otherwise appropriate rate and any children for an additional 20% of the same rate. Family Members under the age of 18 on 1st October will be classed as Cadet Members but are exempt from payment of any separate subscription. They are not entitled to vote at any General Meeting. Family Members attaining the age of 18 are eligible to become Ordinary Members on payment of the appropriate rate of subscription.
4. LIFE MEMBERS
  Admission of Life Members shall be at the discretion of the Committee, on such terms as the members in General Meeting may from time to time decide. They shall pay no annual subscription but shall be subject to all other Rules of the Club, and shall have the same rights in every respect as Ordinary Members. Their number shall not be included in the calculation of the number of Ordinary Members for the purposes of Rule 4 and shall not exceed 10% of the number of Ordinary Members. The rights and privileges of Life Members shall only be altered by a majority of the members present and voting at a General Meeting and also by a majority of the Life Members present and voting at the same meeting.
5. HONORARY MEMBERS
  The Committee shall have power to submit to a General or Special General Meeting the names of persons proposed by them as Honorary Members who, if approved by the meeting, shall be admitted as Honorary Members of the Club and shall be exempt from payment of entrance fee and annual subscription, but shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Club. The number of Honorary Members shall at no time exceed 15 and shall be persons who hold, or have held, office in the administration of public affairs, or have gained renown as yachtsmen/women or have rendered outstanding service to the Club
6. SENIOR MEMBERS
  An Ordinary Member of the Club attaining the age of 65 who has been a fully paid up Ordinary Member of the Club for not less than 10 years may, on application in writing to the Secretary, become a Senior Member in which case the annual subscription shall be reduced by one quarter for every complete period of ten years of membership, up to a maximum reduction of 75%
7. EXTRAORDINARY MEMBERS
  The Committee shall have power to admit as Extraordinary Members the following:
  1. Persons who are Flag Officers of recognised yacht clubs at home or abroad
  2. All serving commissioned officers of HM Forces
  3. Whose parents or either of them are members
    Membership in the above categories shall subsist during the holder’s term of office only.
  4. Such other persons who, because of their service or assistance to the Club should, in the opinion of the Committee, be admitted as Extraordinary Members for such time as the Committee deem appropriate.
    Extraordinary Members shall be entitled to full use of Club facilities; but they may not become Officers of the Club, nor propose nor second any candidate. They shall not be entitled to fly the Club Ensign or Burgee, nor shall they make use of any reciprocal visiting arrangements, which the Club might have from time to time. They shall be exempt from payment of subscription.
8. TEMPORARY MEMBERS
  The persons defined in the following categories may be admitted as Temporary Members:
  1. Yachtsmen/women of Her Majesty’s Navy, Army or Air Force;
  2. Yachtsmen/women while visiting the Clyde area, provided they are Members of a recognised Yacht Club;
  3. Persons distinguished for service in public affairs while visiting the Clyde;
  4. The spouse of any person mentioned in the preceding categories
  Temporary Members for the period of one month after their admission shall not be liable for any subscription, but thereafter, for so long as they may remain members, shall be liable to pay such subscription, payable in advance, as may from time to time be fixed by the Committee. The Committee shall have power, however, to extend the said period of one month in special cases where they consider it advisable to do so.
  
  Candidates for Temporary Membership must be proposed by an Ordinary Member and their names on admission be entered in the Temporary Members’ Book. Temporary Members shall be entitled to full use of Club facilities; but they may not become Officers of the Club, serve on Club committees, nor propose nor second any candidate. Temporary members shall not be entitled to fly the Club Ensign or Burgee, nor shall they make use of any reciprocal visiting arrangements, which the Club might have from time to time.
9. TEMPORARY SAILING MEMBERS
  For the period 1st April to 31st October in any year the Committee shall have the power to admit as Temporary Sailing Members persons who have been invited to sail as crew on a Member’s yacht. Candidates for such admission must be proposed by the yacht owner and seconded by a member of the Sailing Committee.
  
  Temporary Sailing Members shall be liable for a subscription equivalent to 25% of the current Ordinary Inport subscription and shall be entitled to all the privileges of Ordinary Members except that they shall not be qualified to be Officers of the Club, to be members of committee, to attend any meeting or take part in the affairs of the Club or to propose or second any candidate or to make use of any reciprocal visiting arrangements which the Club may have from time to time. Such Members shall not be entitled to fly the Club burgee.
10. CADET MEMBERS
  The Committee shall have power at any time to admit as Cadet Members, persons of 8 and over and under 18 years of age, on such terms and conditions as the Committee may from time to time decide. Candidates must be proposed by one Member and seconded by another. Cadet members attaining the age of 18 and who have held such membership for 2 or more years may become Ordinary members on payment of the appropriate rate of subscription
11. CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP AND STUDENT GROUP MEMBERSHIP
  The Committee shall have the power to admit as Corporate Members companies or other bodies on such terms as it may from time to time decide. Similarly it may admit a limited number of Student Groups.
ENTRANCE FEES AND SUBSCRIPTION
1. The rates at which these will be levied will be determined from time to time by resolutions proposed and carried at General Meetings. The Entrance Fees may be varied or waived for specific periods of time by resolution proposed and carried at Committee meetings. The age of a member on 30^th September shall decide the rate of subscription, which falls due on 1^st October immediately following
2. In the event of a new member failing to pay the Entrance Fee and subscription within three months, the Proposer and Seconder will be notified in writing by the Secretary and if, on the expiry of 14 days from the date of such notice, the entrance fee and subscription shall not have been paid, the election of such a candidate shall be null and void. No new member shall be entitled to any of the privileges of the Club until payment of entrance fee and subscription
3. Members elected between 1^st October and 31^st March will pay a full year’s subscription; those elected between 1^st April and 30^th June will pay two thirds of the annual rate and those elected between 1^st July and 30^th September will pay one third of the annual rate
4. Annual subscription shall be payable on 1^st October in each year in respect of the year ending 30^th September following. Members who fail to pay their annual subscription by 30^th November in that year will be notified in writing by the Secretary and shall have their names posted in the Clubhouse. Subscriptions paid thereafter shall carry a 10% surcharge. If subscriptions have not been paid by 31^st January, membership will be terminated
5. No members whose subscriptions are in arrears and whose names have been posted up as aforesaid shall be permitted to use the Clubhouse until the annual subscription and any arrears due to the Club have been paid
RESIGNATION OF MEMBERS
Any members wishing to withdraw from the Club shall intimate their intention in writing to the Secretary not later than 30th September in any year, otherwise they shall be liable to pay the subscription for the following year
MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB
1. Except insofar as is provided by Rule 7.9, the management and control of the Club, which shall include the right to make Bye-laws, shall be vested in a Committee which shall consist of:
  The Commodore, Vice Commodore, two Rear Commodores, Secretary, Treasurer, Sailing Secretary, Finance Convener and 9 Stewards
2. The members of the Committee, other than the Stewards, shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting to hold office until the next Annual General Meeting and shall then be eligible for re-election to the same office. A Commodore may not hold office as such for more than five years in succession, or a Vice or Rear Commodore for more than three years in succession. A retiring Flag Officer shall not be eligible for re-election to the same office until the expiry of a period of one year at least, but shall at once be eligible for election to any other office
3. The Stewards shall be elected by the Club in General Meeting and shall hold office for three years; the three of them who have been longest in office retiring annually in rotation. A retiring Steward shall not be eligible for re-election as a Steward until the expiry of a period of at least one year, except that a Steward elected for a period of one year only may be re-elected for a normal term without waiting for a year to elapse. Additionally a Bar Convener, Curator of Paintings and Artifacts, Cup Bearer and Keeper of Trophies and Archivist shall be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting
4. The Committee shall give intimation of the names of candidates they intend to propose for election. Such intimation shall be posted on the notice board in the Clubhouse not later than 15^th December. The Committee, having considered any other proposals, shall have the right to make further proposals and these shall be contained in the notice calling the Annual General Meeting
5. Members may propose the name of any new Flag Officer, Office Bearer, or Steward which must be submitted in writing to the Secretary not later than the 31^st December. Every proposal must have a Proposer and Seconder
6. All names proposed under Rules 7.4 and 7.5 shall be contained in the notice calling the Annual General Meeting
7. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the Committee, the same may be filled by the Committee, the appointment coming up for confirmation at the next Annual General Meeting of the Club
8. The Committee shall meet periodically as they think expedient, or when required by the Commodore, the Vice Commodore, a Rear Commodore, or upon the requisition of three members of the Committee. Five members of the Committee shall form a quorum, except where otherwise directed under these Rules. The Committee shall regulate its proceedings as it shall periodically determine
9. A Commodore’s Committee shall be established. The function of this Committee shall be to deliberate on any matter of major importance to the Club. It shall have full executive power to act in an emergency if this is deemed to be necessary. The Commodore and Vice Commodore shall be ex-officio members. Other members shall be elected by the Committee
10. The Committee may appoint sub-committees from among their members or by co-opting other Club members. Such sub-committees shall be subordinate to and report their proceedings to the Committee. They shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Committee
11. The approved and signed minutes of all meetings of the Committee kept as required by Rule 8.2 shall be available for perusal by members in the Club office
12. Any member of the Club elected to the Committee as a Steward or Club Officer who subsequently does not attend at least 50% of the Committee Meetings, as constituted in Rule 7.8, in any Club year between Annual General Meetings shall cease to be a member of the Committee, unless there are significant extenuating circumstances accepted by the Committee
CLUB OFFICERS
1. A Secretary and Treasurer shall be appointed and the Committee shall have power to fix their remuneration, if any
2. The Secretary shall call meetings of the Committee and of the Club on all necessary occasions and shall ensure that accurate Minutes of the proceedings of such meetings are recorded and kept and shall attend to other matters of administration as required by the Committee
3. The Treasurer shall keep correct accounts and Books including a cashbook showing all the financial intromissions of the Club; shall make up the Annual Accounts and attend to the financial affairs of the Club
4. The Bar Convener shall be responsible to the Committee for ensuring that an effective system of stock control is maintained at all times and that the Bar shall be run generally to the satisfaction of the members
5. The Cup Bearer shall be responsible to the Committee for all matters concerning Club trophies and prizes and awards
6. The Curator of Paintings and Artifacts shall be responsible to the Committee for all matters concerning the Club paintings and other artefacts
7. The Archivist shall be responsible to the Committee for all matters concerning the Club library of books and Club records
TRUSTEES
The whole property, heritable and moveable, belonging to the Club is vested in 5 members who shall be appointed by the Committee to be Trustees of the Club. Said Trustees shall have power to assume new Trustees. A majority of the Trustees surviving and acting shall be a quorum. In the event of the Trust lapsing through failure of the Trustees, the Committee of the Club may appoint new Trustees, who shall have the same powers and functions as were enjoyed by the Trustees of the lapsed Trust, subject to any alterations in the same which the Committee may impose when appointing new Trustees. The Trust Funds and Property of every kind shall be subject to the disposition of the Committee; the order in writing of whom, signed by two members of the Committee shall be obligatory upon and indemnify the Trustees for any sale, purchase, investment, disposition in security or other act done by them in pursuance of such orders
ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL YEAR
1. The financial year of the Club shall end on 30^th September in every year, at which day the accounts of the Club shall be balanced. The accounts of the Club shall be signed by a Chartered Accountant, authorised to issue audit certificates, as prepared in accordance with current standards
2. The Club is a non-profit making organisation. All profits and surpluses will be used to maintain or improve the Club’s facilities. No profit or surplus will be distributed
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
1. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in the month of February in every year upon a date and at a time and place to be fixed by the Committee for the following purposes:
  1. To receive from the Committee a report, balance sheet and statement of accounts for the preceding financial year
  2. To elect Officers
  3. To fill the vacancies in the Committee
  4. To appoint Auditors
  5. To decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided
2. Notice of such meeting and a full statement of the affairs of the Club shall be sent to each member at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting, together with copies of any resolutions to be moved at the meeting in accordance with clauses 11.3 and 11.4 hereof
3. A member wishing to move any resolution at an Annual General Meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the Secretary not later than 31st December. Such notice shall be posted on the notice board of the Clubhouse on receipt
4. Notice of any resolution to be moved at the Annual General Meeting on the recommendation of the Committee shall be posted on the notice board of the Clubhouse not less than 14 days before the meeting
5. The Commodore, or in his absence the Vice Commodore, or failing him a Rear Commodore, shall take the chair at all meetings of the Club. In the event of the Commodore, the Vice Commodore and Rear Commodores being absent, a Member elected by those present shall take the chair. Every question submitted to any General Meeting, whether Annual or Special, shall be decided by a majority of those voting thereon to decide, unless where otherwise provided in terms of any Rule of the Club. In case of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have the casting vote, in addition to the vote to which they may be entitled as a member. The decision of the Chairman that a resolution has been carried, or carried by a particular majority or lost, or not carried by a particular majority, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
A Special General Meeting of the Club to consider any Resolution or proposal relating to the Club may be requisitioned at any time either by the Committee or by any 10 members by letter addressed to the Secretary setting out the precise terms of such resolution or proposal. Within 21 days of such requisition, notices calling the Special General Meeting will be sent to all members entitled to attend and vote thereat giving at least 14 days notice of the meeting and shall be exhibited on the notice board in the Clubhouse; such notices shall contain the precise terms of the Resolution or proposal to be considered at the Special General Meeting
QUORUM
At all General Meetings of the Club, 21 members entitled to vote shall form a quorum. If 21 members are not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to a date to be intimated to the members on not less notice than that required to convene the original meeting. The members present at such subsequent adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum
ALTERATION TO RULES
These Rules may be added to, repealed or amended by resolution at any General Meeting, provided that there is a majority of at least two thirds of the members present and voting
COPIES OF THE RULES
A copy of the Rules and Bye-laws shall be furnished to each member on admission
CLUB REGISTER
1. Every member of the Club shall communicate his or her address to the Secretary, who shall enter it in the Club Register
2. All notices posted to the address of the member in the Club Register shall be considered as being duly given on the day following the date of posting
3. Every yacht, which for the purpose of this Rule means any sailing or powerboat used for cruising, day sailing or racing, belonging to a member of the Club, shall be entered in the Club Register. This Register shall state the name, class, tonnage and dimensions of each yacht, and the owner’s name
4. Owners of yachts, on their election as members of the Club, shall furnish the Secretary with these particulars immediately upon their election
5. Any member selling a yacht or acquiring a new yacht so as to affect the particulars recorded by the Club office shall, within 14 days after the transfer, purchase or alteration, intimate the revised details to the Club office
6. Yachts belonging to members while on charter to non-members shall not be considered as belonging to the Club, and shall not fly the Club Flag or be entitled to the privileges of the Club
YACHT RACING
1. The conduct of racing events shall be under the control of a Sailing Committee appointed by the Committee
2. This Committee shall, when necessary, appoint a Protest Committee. The decision of the Protest Committee shall be final, unless an appeal is made to the RYA
GUESTS
1. A member shall be allowed to introduce friends to the Clubhouse as visitors subject to such Bye-laws as shall be made from time to time by the Committee. No visitor shall be supplied with excisable liquors in the Club premises unless on the invitation and in the company of a member, and the member shall, on the admission of such a visitor to the Club premises or immediately on his/her being supplied with liquor enter his/her own name and the name and address of the visitor together with the date of each visit in a book to be kept for that purpose and none but members shall pay the expenses incurred
2. A visitor shall not be entitled to use or sail any boat belonging to the Club, unless accompanied by a suitably qualified member
CLUBHOUSE
The Clubhouse shall be open for the use of members at such hours as the Committee may determine. Every expense incurred in the Clubhouse shall be discharged before leaving the same
COMPLAINTS
Any complaint against the arrangements and regulations or Bye-laws of the Clubhouse shall be forwarded in writing to the Secretary who shall lay the same before the Committee. The conduct of a servant shall in no instance be made a matter of personal reprimand by a member. All complaints against servants must be made to the Secretary who shall bring the matter before the Committee at its first meeting
EXCISABLE LIQUOR
1. No alcoholic liquor shall be sold or supplied in the Club premises for consumption off the premises, except to a member of the Club in person for consumption by him or her or to a person holding a licence or a wholesaler’s licence for the sale of such liquor
2. No member of the Committee nor any Manager or Servant of the Club shall have any personal interest in the sale of excisable liquors therein, or in the profits arising from such sale
3. No excisable liquor shall be sold or supplied to any person under the age of 18 years
4. The hours during which excisable liquors may be sold and supplied to members shall be arranged by the Committee in accordance with the Licensing Acts. A notice stating the hours during which excisable liquors may be supplied and a tariff shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in the Clubhouse
POWERS OF EXPULSION
1. If the conduct of any member, either in or out of the Club, shall in the opinion of the Committee be injurious to the character or interests of the Club, the Committee (after giving such member a reasonable opportunity of stating his/her defence) shall, if so advised, be empowered to address a letter to such member inviting him/her to resign from the Club within a time specified in such letter. If such member shall not have resigned within the time specified, the Committee shall call a Special General Meeting of the Club as provided in Rule 13. The Notice convening such meeting shall set forth the terms of the resolution to be proposed, viz. that the name of such member shall be removed from the list of members of the Club without the Committee being under the necessity, unless they decide otherwise, of specifying in such notice or resolution the reasons for such proposed expulsion
2. At such meeting, the member whose expulsion is under consideration, shall be allowed to offer an explanation of his/her conduct, verbally or in writing. If two thirds of the members voting at the meeting shall vote for expulsion, such member shall cease to be a member of the Club. The voting at such Special General Meeting shall be by ballot, and no ballot shall be valid unless at least 12 members shall have voted. It shall be in the power of the Committee to suspend such member, entailing expulsion from the Clubhouse, until such Special General Meeting shall have been held. An intimation of expulsion sent to the member concerned shall be made by letter. A member so expelled shall never again be eligible for admission to the Club
3. A Cadet Member may be expelled at any time if, in the sole opinion of the Committee, this action is justified
BORROWING POWERS
If at any time the Club in General Meeting shall pass a resolution authorising the Committee to borrow money, the Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purposes of the Club an amount of money not exceeding a total sum of £100,000 outstanding at any one time, either at one time or from time to time, and at such a rate of interest and in such form and manner, and on such terms and conditions and upon such security, if any, as shall be specified in such resolution, and thereupon the Trustees shall, at the direction of the Committee, make all such dispositions of the Club property or any part thereof any such arrangement or arrangements thereto as the Committee may deem proper for giving security for the amount so borrowed and interest. All members of the Club at the time of passing the resolution and all persons becoming members of the Club after the passing of such resolution shall be deemed to have assented to the same as if they had voted in favour of the resolution. Provided that the Committee may, and are hereby empowered, without the authority of such resolutions, to obtain temporary loans or overdrafts which shall not exceed £80,000 at any one time from the Club bankers, with or without security, in the ordinary course of the management of the Club.
Note: The overdraft limit is to be reviewed annually at the AGM
DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
1. The Club shall be dissolved if it is so resolved by a majority of not less than three fourths of the members present at and voting at any General Meeting of the Club called for such purpose. Any General Meeting called to consider a resolution to dissolve the Club shall be called by not less than 21 days notice. Written notice of such meeting shall be sent to all members entitled to attend and vote setting out the precise terms of the resolution to be proposed
2. At the General Meeting at which such a resolution for dissolution is considered, if a majority of the members present demand it, the meeting shall be adjourned to take a postal vote of all members of the Club entitled to attend and vote at General Meetings. Notification in writing shall be given to all members entitled to attend and vote thereat within 21 days of the original meeting giving at least 21 days notice of the reconvened meeting. At the reconvened meeting the postal votes shall be counted by two or more scrutineers appointed by the meeting. If a majority of not less than three fourths of the votes and postal votes cast are in favour of dissolution, the Club shall be dissolved
3. On the passing of a resolution to dissolve the Club all available assets and property, after the discharge of all debts and liabilities, shall be transferred to some other non-profit making organisation or organisations, or to a charitable body or bodies with objects similar to the Club or for the benefit of the community. Such organisations or bodies shall be determined by Members of the Club with full voting rights by resolution at a General Meeting at or prior to the time of dissolution and, insofar as effect cannot be given to such determination, as decided by the Committee. No class of Club Member shall be entitled to share in surplus property or funds
INTERPRETATION
In these Rules where the text admits the masculine shall include the feminine and the singular shall include the plural and vice versa. The decision of the Committee upon any question of interpretation of these Rules shall be final and binding upon all Members and guests
DATA PROTECTION ACT
The names and addresses of members and other relevant information will be held on computer files. This information will not be disclosed to any other body without the member’s written consent

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