FJ United States Organization Bylaws and Regulations

Including Rules of Operation

(Revised August 2000)

(amended 5/2002- amendments in blue)

I. Introduction:
This document represents the bylaws and organizational regulations of FJ United States (FJUS), as latest ratified by vote of the Membership as of the date shown above. These Bylaws supersede all other previous such documents.

II. Purpose and activities:
FJUS is the national authority of the International FJ Class in the United States of America. The purpose of FJUS is to promote International FJ sailing and racing within the United States, and to maintain rigidly and without deviation the one-design features of International FJ class sailboats.

These activities can be promoted by a variety of means, which can include, but are not limited to:

A. The organization of races, including Regional and National Championship regattas on an annual basis, and if possible, biannual North American Championships;

B. Supporting the International FJ Organisation (IFJO);

C. Supporting the United States Sailing Association (USSA) and the International Sailing Federation (ISAF);

D. Publication of promotional literature promoting FJUS and the International FJ;

E. publication of the official newsletter of FJUS - Jottings;

F. Supporting United States and North American builders of the International FJ, including individual builders;

G. Issuing and recording sail numbers to boats built or sailed in the United States;

H. Issuing ISAF Building Fee plaques to International FJs built in the United States;

I. Conducting and recording official Class Measurement of International FJs in the United States;

J. Corresponding with owners and potential owners of International FJs , and

K. Maintaining a site on the World Wide Web.

III. Membership:
Any interested person, regardless of whether or not he or she is an International FJ owner, sailor, or crew, may become a Member of FJUS.

For purposes of this document, “Members” refers to all dues-paid Individual and Yacht Club, Sailing Club, or College/University Team Members in good standing.

A. Types of Membership:

1. Individual Membership; obtained by sending the required membership dues, and information regarding name and address to the National Secretary/Treasurer of FJUS.

2. Yacht Club, Sailing Club, or College/University Team Membership; obtained by sending (one)-membership dues to the National Secretary/Treasurer. The Yacht Club, Sailing Club, or College Team shall designate a contact person that all correspondence shall be sent to and who is authorized to exercise the vote for the club or team.

3. Measurer’s Membership; limited to Official Measurers recognized by FJUS.

4. Corresponding or Crew Membership; obtained by sending the required dues to the National Secretary/Treasurer.

B. Membership Privileges:

1. Individual Members are accorded the following privileges of Membership:

a) Subscription to the Jottings.

b) Racing privileges: the right to participate in all North American, U.S. National, and Regional Championships, and Fleet races within the United States. U.S. Sailors participating in Continental Championships outside North America, open championships of other nations, and World Championships must also be members of FJUS. Members must pay all required race or regattas fees, and meet the other criteria for participation.

c) Voting rights at National meetings or by proxy via mail, or by other means, as specified.

2. Holders of yacht, sailing club, or college/university team memberships, payment of dues equal to a single individual membership grants:

a) Full racing privileges to any member of that club.

b) A single vote on all class ballots.

3. An Official Measurer, other than the Chief Measurer shall not be allowed to participate in racing, or have voting rights unless he/she is also an Individual Member. Official Measurers also receive a subscription to Jottings.

4. Corresponding or Crew Members receive a subscription to Jottings only; they have no other privileges of membership.

C. Membership Dues:

1. Annual dues are due on January 1 of each year.

2. Dues (2/1/2001):

a) Individual Full membership: $ 35 US

b) Yacht Club, Sailing Club, or College/University
Team Membership $ 35 US

c) Corresponding or Crew Membership $ 10 US

d) Measurer’s membership: no charge

3. Persons paying dues between October 1, and December 31 shall receive a Membership for the following calendar year.

4. Dues may be paid be sending a check or money order, payable to “FJUS”, to the National Secretary/Treasurer.

IV. Class Officers

A. Election of officers

1. Election of officers is by result of a vote of Members at National Meetings, added to the results of mail-in proxy ballot of Members not at the National Meeting.

2. Mail-in ballots may be sent to all dues-paid Members via the Jottings, by separate mailing, or by a combination. This mailing can occur at any time, before or after the National Meeting; results are not official until thirty days after the mailing of the proxy ballots.

3. Response of at least 25% of current dues-paid Individual and Yacht Club, Sailing Club, or College/University Team members is required for an election to be official.

4. The National Secretary Treasurer shall count the votes; the ballots are then to be forwarded to the National President for filing with the FJUS records.

B. National President

1. The National President is the chief executive officer of FJUS.

2. The National President shall be chosen by election at a National Meeting, and by proxy ballot..

3. The term of office for the National President shall be two years and shall commence on January 1 of even-numbered years.

4. The National President may serve unlimited successive terms of office.

5. The National President shall maintain an active Individual Membership in FJUS.

6. Duties of the National President include, but are not limited to:

a) Promoting the International FJ Class in the United States, and internationally;

b) Maintaining an active working relationship with the Officers.

c) Selecting a Regatta Chairperson and capable leadership for the National Championship;

d) Ensuring that capable race management, including Protest Committee is available for the National Championship;

e) Advising IFJO Officers on matters pertaining to FJUS and representing the interests of FJUS in the IFJO;

f) Corresponding with owners and potential owners of International FJs;

g) Issuing U.S. Sail numbers and Builder’s Fee Plaques;

h) Managing FJUS funds in an appropriate manner, and authorizing the payment of all bills;

i) Maintaining a relationship with all builders of the International FJ in the United States;

j) Appointing the Chief Measurer, and the National Vice President/Jottings Editor;

k) Managing the activities of the Regional VPs, the National Secretary/Treasurer, and the National Vice President/Jottings Editor;

l) Publishing an annual State of the Class report to the members submitted to the National Vice President/Jottings Editor by January 1 of each year;

m) Presiding at National Meetings;

n) Appointing special committees and Officers as needed;

o) Ensuring that all FJUS activities are in the spirit and letter of these Bylaws and Regulations.

p) Stamping sails and collecting FJUS Sail Royalties.

7. Should the National President resign or be otherwise unable to fulfill his/her term of office:

a) If there is less than one year remaining of his/her regular term, the National Secretary Treasurer shall be named as National President for the balance of the term and a new National Secretary/Treasurer shall be elected by special election. The election shall be held within 60 days of the resignation. During this time the National Secretary/Treasurer shall continue to perform the duties of the National Secretary/Treasurer.

b) If there is more than one year remaining in the National President’s regular term, there shall be a special election to elect a new National President. The election shall be held within 60 days of the resignation. During this time the National Secretary/Treasurer shall assume the duties of the National President on an interim basis.

C. National Secretary/Treasurer

1. The National Secretary/Treasurer is the chief financial officer of FJUS.

2. The National Secretary/Treasurer shall be chosen by election.

3. The term of office for the National Secretary/Treasurer shall be two years and shall commence on January 1 of odd-numbered years..

4. The National Secretary/Treasurer may serve unlimited successive terms of office.

5. The National Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain an active Individual Membership in FJUS.

6. Duties of the National Secretary/Treasurer include, but are not limited to:

a) Receiving dues and other payments to FJUS;

b) Billing and receiving payment for business-related advertising placed in the Jottings.

c) Maintaining the financial accounts of FJUS;

d) Making expenditures, as directed by the National President of FJUS, or the Executive Committee within the regulations of these Bylaws;

e) Preparation of an Annual Financial Report, as of December 31, by April 1 of the following year. This Report shall be audited by a third party appointed by the National President and submitted to the National Vice President/Jottings Editor by the end of June, for publication

f) Preparation of an Annual Budget, to be approved by the National President, and submitted to the National Vice President/Jottings Editor by the end of January, for publication.

g) Counting of votes and mail-in ballots for elections and other matters;

h) Stamping sails and collecting FJUS Sail Royalties. Maintaining control of Royalty Stamps and equipment.

7. Should the National Secretary/Treasurer resign or be otherwise unable to fulfill the duties of office:

a) If more than one year remains of the National Secretary/Treasurer’s term, a special election of a new National Secretary Treasurer shall be held. The election shall be held within 60 days of the resignation. During this time the National President shall assume the duties of the National Secretary/Treasurer on an interim basis.

b) If less than one year of the term remains, the National President shall appoint an interim National Secretary Treasurer. The appointment shall be made within 60 days of the resignation. During this time the National President shall assume the duties of the National Secretary/Treasurer on an interim basis.

D. National Vice President/Jottings Editor

1. The primary duties of the National Vice President and Jottings Editor shall be to edit and publish Jottings- the official FJUS newsletter.

2. The National Vice President/Jottings Editor shall be appointed by the National President.

3. The term of office for the National Vice President/Jottings Editor shall be two years, and shall commence on January 1 of odd-numbered years.

4. The National Vice President/Jottings Editor shall maintain an active Individual Membership in FJUS.

5. If possible, the Jottings should be published every calendar quarter.

6. A minimum of two issues of Jottings shall be published every year.

7. The first issue of each year shall be published no later than end of February, and shall contain the required “State of the Class” (document from the National President), and the Annual Budget (from the National Secretary/ Treasurer), from the previous year’s Class business.

E. Chief Measurer

1. The Chief measurer is the main technical officer of the Class.

2. The National President shall appoint the Chief Measurer.

3. The Chief Measurer’s office is a position in which expertise is gained by experience, to the benefit of FJUS. Therefore, the term of office is not specified.

4. The Chief Measurer shall maintain an active Individual Membership in FJUS.

5. The Chief Measurer may be involved in building, repairing or modifying International FJs. In cases where work performed by the Chief Measurer would require re-Measurement (under International FJ Class Rules), another Official Measurer shall perform such re-Measurement.

6. The primary responsibilities of the Chief Measurer are:

a) Managing the Measurement of International FJ Class boats within the United States;

b) Interpreting the Class Rules for Official Measurers, Class members, Builders, Sailmakers, and others;

c) Representing FJUS in matters pertaining to the Measurement of International FJs in the United States;

d) Certifying the qualifications of Official Measurers;

e) Advising and training Official Measurers;

f) Maintaining records of Measurements of all International FJs in the United States;

g) Coordinating the Measurement or partial Measurement of all boats at Continental, National and World Championships held in the United States;

h) With the approval of the National President, setting Measurement Fees and fees for supplying copies of Measurement Certificates to owners.

i) Stamping sails and collecting FJUS Sail Royalties.

F. Other appointed positions

1. The National President may make additional appointed positions to perform specific functions, such as a national marketing officer, promotional officer, Nationals regatta chairperson, FJUS Webmaster, Worlds regatta chairperson, etc. The National President shall determine the term of such appointments

G. Removal of a Class Officer from Office

1. Appointed Officers:

a) The National President may remove any of the appointed officers from office, should that Officer not fulfill the requirements of office.

2. Elected Officers:

a) The National President or National Secretary/Treasurer may be removed by 2/3rds majority vote at a special election of FJUS Members. The Executive Committee may, by majority vote (present, voting by mailed ballot, or present in a teleconference), call for such an election upon notification by one or more Class members of just cause and reason.

b) Regional Vice Presidents: A quorum of five (5) active Class and Region Members (present, voting by mailed ballot, or present in a teleconference) is required for the removal of a Regional Vice President.

V. Fleets

A. Fleets consist of three or more International FJs that normally sail on the same home waters. The owners of these boats may be members of the same yacht or sailing club.

B. Any three owners or prospective owners of International FJs may be granted a Fleet Charter, upon application to the National President.

C. Fleets shall be numbered, and may carry a name.

D. In all local sailing matters, the Fleet shall be self-governing, provided its rules or actions are not in conflict with those of FJUS or IFJO.

E. Each Fleet shall elect one or more Officers, including a Fleet Captain, a Racing Chairperson, a Fleet Measurer, etc.

F. Fleet Charters may be revoked only by 2/3-majority vote of the Executive Committee. The National President shall notify the Executive Committee of the reasons for such action, with a specific recommendation for revocation.

VI. Regions

A. FJUS shall be sub-divided into Eastern and Western Regions. These Regions shall be comprised of International FJ Class members by State, as delineated in Appendix A.

B. Each Region shall have a Regional Vice President, chosen through an election of the Class members in that Region, either at a Class-sanctioned event such as the Regional or National Championship regatta, or by mailed ballot.

C. A quorum of five Members (present, or voting by mailed ballot) is required for the election of a Regional Vice President.

D. The term of office of the Regional Vice Presidents shall be two years, beginning January 1 of even-numbered years.

E. A Regional Vice President may serve unlimited successive terms of office.

F. Regional Vice Presidents shall maintain an active Individual Membership in FJUS.

G. The duties of the Regional Vice Presidents include, but are not limited to:

1. Promoting the International FJ and FJUS within the Region;

2. Organizing an annual Regional Championship regatta;

3. Publishing a Regional newsletter

4. Providing a Regional column to the Editor of Jottings;

5. Collecting Regional dues, in amounts voted on by members of the Region;

6. Managing Regional funds;

7. Reporting the financial status of the Region to the Region’s membership, and to the National President annually, as of December 31 of the next year;