World Championship 2017 Brunnen Switzerland

Constitution

  • 1Title
    • The full Title of the Association shall be the International H-Boat Association, IHA.
  • 2Object
    • The object of the IHA is to promote the interest of the H-Boat Class throughout the world, i.e.
    • 2.1To co-ordinate and manage the affairs and rules of the Class in Cupertino with the ISAF, National Authorities and the copyright holder.
    • 2.2To maintain the one-design character of the H-Boat.
    • 2.3To promote competition in the H-Boat Class.
    • 2.4To comply with objects and decisions of the ISAF in so far they affect the H-Boat-Class.
  • 3Terms and Definitions
    • Throughout these rules the following defined terms will be used:
    • 3.1The IHA shall mean International H-Boat Association.
    • 3.2The National Authority (NA) shall mean the organisation recognised by the ISAF to control and organise yachting on a national basis in any country.
    • 3.3The NHA shall mean the National H-Boat Association organised inside individual countries and officially recognised by the IHA and the corresponding NA.
    • 3.4The Class shall mean the class of sailing yachts designed by Hans Groop and built in accordance with the official drawings and specifications as amended by ISAF from time to time and known under the name H-Boat.
    • 3.5The Class Rules shall mean the rules relating to measurement, construction and racing condition of an H-Boat. The ISAF is the only body with the power to make changes in the Class Rules upon proposals from the IHA.
    • 3.6The Certificate shall mean a certificate to be issued, ratified and enclosed as herein after provided, recording builder's name and code, the ISAF plague, national sail number and ownership.
    • 3.7The Measurement Form shall mean the official H-Boat Measurement Form.
    • 3.8The Hull number shall mean:
    • 1. The builder's Code and Hull-No. Mould and Plug Nos. allocated by the builder.
    • 2. The ISAF plaque number. These numbers may all be placed on the ISAF plaque.
    • 3.9The Sail Number shall mean the national sail number allocated to the yacht by the NA or other body authorised by IHA or NA to do so.
    • 3.10The IHA Class Register of H-Boats and their owners and associated members shall mean the register to be kept as hereinafter provided.
    • 3.11The Copyright Holder shall mean the ISAF Holdings Ltd.
    • 3.12Licensed Builder shall mean a person or corporation for the time being holding a valid licence to built the H-Boat.
    • 3.13The Secretary shall mean the duly elected Honorary Secretary or the duly appointed Secretary, as the case may be, of the IHA.
    • 3.14The Committee shall mean the Committee of IHA as specified in these rules.
  • 4Protection of One-Design an issue of certificates
    • 4.1The One-Design Character of the H-Boat throughout the world and the quality of the yachts shall be controlled by limited building rights to selected builders. A proposed builder's premises and production facility shall be inspected by the ISAF or the body authorised by the ISAF to do it, if these inspections are satisfactory and if avidence of adequate financial capability is furnished, a licence may be issued.
    • 4.2No yacht shall be entered in a NHA Register as an H-Boat unless the hull and other mouldings are produced by a Licenced Builder in accordance with the Class Rules.
    • 4.3The IHA shall keep a NHA Register and a Register of Builders.
    • 4.4A Certificate shall be obtained from the NA, or another organisation, e.g. the NHA, authorised by the NA to issue Certificates upon production of the official Measurement Form properly completed by an official measurer showing the yacht to be within the requirements of the Class Rules and the building fee paid.
    • 4.5Certificates shall remain valid only as long as the boat continues to comply with the Class Rules.
    • 4.6Change of ownership shall invalidate the Certificate. It shall be the responsibility of the new owner to obtain a new Certificate from the NA or another organisation authorised by the NA to issue H-Boat certificates.
    • 4.7Acceptance of a Certificate by an owner shall ipso facto render him subject to the jurisdiction of the IHA or the committee in any matter pertaining to the IHA constitution.
  • 5Membership
    • 5.1The following types of membership shall be recognised:
      • 5.1.1Full membership.
      • 5.1.2Associate membership.
    • 5.2Full membership shall, upon payment of the prescribed annual subscription, be open to any NHA.
    • 5.3Associate membership shall, upon payment of the prescribed annual subscription, be open to all individuals or clubs from countries without NHA's.
    • 5.4Associate members shall be entitled to attend and speak at any Meeting, but not to vote.
  • 6Annual subscription and fees
    • 6.1The IHA shall be financed by annual subscriptions from the NHA's paid according to their number of members, by annual subscription from associate members, by building fees from new H-Boats built and by collecting other fees. The subscription shall be determined annually by the Committee. All full members must register annually. All subscription and fees shall be made payable to the IHA Treasurer.
    • 6.2Subscriptions and fees for each calendar year are due on the First of March.
      • 6.2.1Any NHA which has not remitted to the IHA its annual subscription by June 1st may cease to be official recognised by the IHA and loose the privileges and benefits of membership of the IHA under these Rules, but may be restored to the list of recognised NHA's at the discretion of the Committee after payment of any subscriptions due.
  • 7Management and voting rights
    • 7.1The affairs of IHA shall be managed by the Committee assisted by a Technical Committee and by an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of four members and the Technical Committee shall consist of three members. The IHA Committee shall be the only body with the power to recommend changes in the Class Rules to the ISAF. Any such changes shall be promptly forwarded to the NHAs. The ISAF shall inform the licensed builders.
    • 7.2The IHA Committee shall consist of:
      • 7.2.1One member appointed by each officially recognised NHA, and one member each appointed by the Copyright Holder and the Designer.
      • 7.2.2Each member shall have one vote. In addition, each member appointed by an NHA shall have one vote for every complete multiple of 100 H-Boats owned by members of that particular NHA. No NHA shall cast more than one less than half of the total number of votes represented at the meeting.
      • 7.2.3The Committee shall have the power to Copt any person to assist it whether its a member or not, but such member shall have no vote on the Committee.
      • 7.2.4A NHA not represented at a Committee Meeting shall be entitled to appoint a proxy to any other NHA which is represented so that it can vote on its behalf, in accordance with rule 7.2.2.
      • 7.3.1At meetings of the Executive Committee two shall form a quorum.
      • 7.3.2At meetings of the Technical Committee three shall form a quorum.
    • 7.4In the case of retirement or replacement of an NHA-appointed Committee member, his NHA may appoint a substitute. If a member is not able to attend a meeting, his NHA may appoint a substitute for that meeting only. Designation of such substitute shall be in writing.
      • 7.4.1The Committee need not fill a vacancy on the Executive Committee unless the number of members has dropped below three. In case of a member's retirement before his term has expired, his NHA may appoint a substitute to complete his term.
    • 7.5At its annual meeting, to be held in August at the latest, the Committee shall:
      • 7.5.1In odd year appoint one of its NHA-appointed members to act as President of the IHA for a period of two years. In even years appoint one of its NHA-appointed members to act as Vice-President for a period of two years.
      • 7.5.2At the first annual meeting, to be held in 1975, a Vice-President shall be appointed for a period of one year only.
      • 7.5.3Elect an Honorary Secretary or appoint a Secretary who shall keep correct minutes of all Committee meetings together with the Register, and be responsible for communicating the decisions of the Committee to all NHA's. An appointed Secretary shall not be member of the Committee.
      • 7.5.4Elect an Honorary Treasurer or appoint a Treasurer who shall have charge of the funds of the IHA, make such disbursements as the Committee shall direct, keep an accurate record of the financial affairs of the IHA, and present a financial statement at each Annual Meeting. The Secretary may also be appointed Treasurer.
      • 7.5.5Appoint a qualified auditor who shall examine the correctness of the accounts and certify the annual financial statement.
      • 7.5.6Elect a Technical Committee (TC) and its Chairman for a period of two years. The TC shall be responsible for making recommendations to the Committee regarding the Class Rules, including suggested amendments or additions and requests for interpretations.
      • 7.5.7Elect an Executive Committee (EC) for a term of two years. The President shall be one of the four members. The EC shall be responsible for making decisions on urgent matters arising between meetings of the Committee. The IHA Committee shall receive proceedings from all EC meetings. Decisions made by the EC shall be reported at the next Committee meeting.
      • 7.5.8Decide the time and place for the next meeting. Notice of a meeting shall be sent at least four weeks before hand. The date, place and agenda for such a meeting shall be sent in writing to each member.
    • 7.6The Executive Committee may fill any casual vacancies among the officers and any persons so appointed shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the Committee.
  • 8Motions and written resolutions
    • 8.1A submission for a Class-Rule-, WC-Rule- or Constitution change or amendment has to be received by the IHA 4 month before the next annual meeting which date should be known. The IHA has to check and probably clarify this submission and inform all NHAs within the following month. After receipt of the submission a NHA has to clarify within three month the submission with its members to be able to vote on the next following IHA-meeting. A submission has to be in written form, has to indicate the rule number if any, the new wording as well as an explanation for the change
    • 8.2Any Committee Member not answering a resolution communicated to him in writing by the Secretary within six weeks from the date of sending shall be demand to have agreed to such resolution being passed. All communication to countries outside that of the Secretary shall be sent by airmail
    • 8.3The Committee is responsible for selecting the location and establishing the dates for the World and Continental Championship each year.
  • 9Measurement
    • 9.1The NHAs shall in co-operation with the National Authorities be responsible for the appointment of official class measurers and for compiling of Measurement forms. Names and addresses of such appointed measurers shall be reported to the IHA annually.
  • 10Accounts
    • 10.1The Committee shall cause accounts to be kept giving full particulars of:
      • 10.1.1All amounts of money received and liabilities of the IHA.
      • 10.1.2All amounts of money received and expended by the IHA and of the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditures arise.
    • 10.2A financial statement shall be presented at every Annual Committee Meeting, duly audited.
    • 10.3The making of payment and receipt of money shall be validly evidenced only by signature of the Treasurer or his deputy as appointed by the Committee and payments of money exceeding the sum of US$ 500 shall require the signature of the President or the Vice-President.