The By-Laws of the Buzzards Yacht Club, Inc.
Article I
Name and Purpose
The name of this corporation that be "The Buzzards Yacht Club, Inc.". It is organized for the purpose of educating encouraging yachting generally, and specifically to educate and promote sailboat racing and sailing in the area of Cataumet and Pocasset on the eastern shore of Buzzard's Bay among both adult and younger sailors.
Article II
Membership
Each member of the Club shall enjoy the full rights and privileges of the Club. Members of their immediate families living under the same roof may enjoy all the privileges of the Club, except that they shall not vote at meetings of the members.
Candidates for membership must send an application for membership to the Secretary who shall transmit the application to the Executive Committee. Election of members shall be by majority vote of the Executive Committee, taken in such form and at such time as they shall prescribe.
Article III
Meetings of the Members
The annual meeting of the members of the Club shall be held between October 31st and June 30th at a time and place as set by the Executive Committee. Notice of the annual meeting with a list of all nominees for offices and elective committees for the ensuing year shall be sent to each member at least six days before the meeting.
The Commodore may call special meetings of members at his or her discretion and shall do so at the written request of five members. Notice of each such special meeting shall be sent to each member at least six days before the meeting. At such special meetings, no business shall be transacted except that stated inthe notice of the meeting.
Each member shall be entitled to one vote which may be exercised by him in person or by proxy dated not more than three months before the meeting and filed with the Secretary-Treasurer. A quorum at any meeting shall consist of fifteen members who are eligible to vote.
Article IV
Officers
The officers of the Club shall be a Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Secretary, Treasurer, and a Chairman of the Race Committee.
Election of Officers: The officers and other members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at a meeting of the members and shall hold office until the next annual meeting or until their successors are elected. A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary for election. Vacancies during term of office may be filled by the Executive Committee until the following annual meeting.
Duties of Officers: Each officer shall have the following specific powers and duties, and also such further powers and duties as are commonly incident to his or her office or as the Executive Commitee shall designate from time to time.
COMMODORE: The Commodore shall preside at all meetings of the members of the Club and of the Executive Committee. He or she shall be the Chief Executive Officer and shall have the general supervision of the affairs and business of the Club.
VICE COMMODORE: The Vice Commodore shall assist the Commodore in the discharge of his or her duties and in the absence of the Commodore shall perform the duties of that office.
REAR COMMODORE: The Rear Commodore shall assist the Commodore and Vice Commodore, and in their absence, exercise the powers of the Commodore.
SECRETARY: It shall be the duty of the Secretary: 1. to keep a proper record of the proceedings of all meetings of the members and of the Executive Committee, and to have custody of all reports and documents relating to the affairs of the Club; 2. to keep a correct list of all members and of the name, type and ownership of all boats and yachts entered in regattas; 3. to notify the membership of every meeting, event and regatta.
TREASURER: It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to have charge of the funds of the Club and of their collection and disbursement under the direction of the Executive Committee, to keep a correct record of receipts and disbursements and to present a report of the financial condition of the Club at the annual meeting of members.
CHAIRMAN OF THE RACE COMMITTEE: The Race Committee Chairman shall preside at meetings of his or her Committee and shall see that the functions of the Race Committee are properly conducted.
Article V
Committees
Executive Committee: The general administration and control of the Club shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of the Club and not more than two members-at-large or Fleet Captains elected by the members.
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the management of the affairs and property of the Club, and shall have and may exercise all of the powers of the Club, and it may delegate these powers at its discretion to one or more officers. Without being limited to the following particular powers, the Executive Committee shall have general charge of the policies, activities and finances of the Club, including supervision over all committees. It shall appropriate funds for the use of each committee and for the Secretary and Treasurer, and it may fill any vacancy which may occur in any elective office or committee. It may also maintain and close banking accounts, make or cause to be made such contracts and agreements in behalf of the Club as it may deem needful or convenient for the purposes of the Club, and may purchase, lease, sell or otherwise dispose of real and personal property.
Meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the Commodore or the Vice Commodore, and notice of the time and place of each meeting of the Committee shall be given to each member of the Committee by the officer calling the meeting, or by the Secretary. A quorum at any meeting of the Executive Committee shall consist of three members of the Committee.
Nominating Committee: At least thirty days prior to the annual meeting of members, the Commodore shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three members whose duty it shall be to nominate candidates for officers and elective committees for the ensuing year, and to send to the Secretary not less than fifteen days prior to the annual meeting a list of such nominations to be sent with a notice of the annual meeting. This provision shall not exclude the nomination of any other candidate, but no member shall be eligible for election to the office unless his or her name, together with that of the person nominating him or her, shall have been sent to the Secretary prior to the annual meeting.
Race Committee: The Race Committee shall consist of a Chairman elected as provided in Article IV, and such other members as may be proposed by him or her and appointed by the Executive Committee. The Race Committee shall have the direction and control of all races sailed under the auspices of the Club, prescribe the rules and conditions therefore, procure and award such prizes as it may deem appropriate, adopt suitable procedures for deciding properly all questions that arise in the sailing of races and shall have power to disqualify any yacht and postpone any race or order it re-sailed. No member of the Race Committee, however, shall take part in the deciding of any disputed question in which he or she is directly interested.
The Race Committee shall have full charge of and responsibility for all boats, buoys, marks, and other racing equipment belonging to the Club.
There shall be no appeal from the decisions of the Race Committee on the part of contestants but the Committee may, at its discretion, refer any matter before it to the Executive Committee for decision.
Article VI
Dues, Fees, Assessments and Other Charges
The annual dues for membership shall be established by the Executive Committee and remain in effect until changed or adjusted by the Committee on or before the 15th of June with respect to any calendar year. The Executive Committee may also, at its discretion, establish racing fees, initiation fees for new members, and make additional assessments on all the members for any extraordinary circumstances at any time.
Article VII
Distinguishing Signal
The distinguishing signal of the Club shall be a colored Burgee, its hoist being two-thirds of its length. A diagonal white stripe of equal width throughout its length, the upper edge of which shall comprise the middle one-third of the upper edge of the Burgee, shall run diagonally to the tack of the flag. Two triangles comprise the rest of the Burgee. The upper triangle shall be red, the lower triangle blue. A five-pointed red star shall be superimposed on the center of the white diagonal stripe.
Article XIII
Waiver of Liability
The Buzzards Yacht Club and its members hereby agree to hold the Officers and Directors of BYC harmless for any claims arising from property damage, death or personal injury from all activities sponsored by the Buzzards Yacht Club.
Article IX
Amendments
These By-Laws may be amended at any meeting of the members by a two-thirds vote of the eligible voters present in person or by proxy, provided notice of the proposed amendments or the substance thereof is given in a call for the meeting.