Constitution

The Association shall be called the Wanderer Class Owners’ Association (UK) or WCOA (UK).

1. To promote the enjoyment of the Wanderer sailing dinghy, and the families associated with her.
2. To further the interests of the one-design sailing boat known as the Wanderer, designed by Ian Proctor.
3. To provide a medium of exchange of information among UK resident Wanderer sailors.
4. To promote and develop Class sailing, cruising racing and other associated activities.
5. To further the interests of members of WCOA (UK).
6. To operate as a National Wanderer Association (NWA) in the United Kingdom, in accordance with this constitution and the constitution of the Wanderer Class International Committee (WCIC) when formed.

The following membership shall be recognised:

1. Full Member: Open to any Wanderer owner, upon payment of the prescribed subscription, or in the case of joint ownership, to any nominated one of them, or in the case of a corporation or association owned Wanderer, a nominated representative of that organisation.
2. Associate Member: Open, upon payment of the prescribed subscription, to any person who is not a Wanderer owner but who has an interest in the Wanderer Class.
3. Honorary Life Member: Open to any person having an interest in the Wanderer Class who is proposed by a full member, and elected by the Committee.

4.1 The Association shall be managed by a committee, which shall consist of not less than six, but not more than twelve full or associate members.

4.2 Five Committee members shall form a quorum.

4.3 The Committee shall be elected annually at the AGM.

4.4 The Copyright Holder, or a representative nominated by him, shall be a permanent additional member of the Committee.

4.5 At its first meeting following the AGM, the Committee shall:

1. elect two of its members as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively.
2. elect an Honorary Secretary (or appoint a Secretary) or one or more persons to undertake the Secretary’s duties.
3. elect an Honorary Treasurer (or appoint a Treasurer).
4. elect to the Wanderer Committee (International) (when formed) a representative who shall vote thereon in accordance with the decisions made in WCOA (UK) Committee.
5. elect a (non-executive) Honorary President of the Association.

4.6 The Committee shall have the power to:

1. interpret and apply the rules.
2. elect a Wanderer Technical Committee.
3. make recommendations to WCOA (UK) members in general meetings for amendments or new rules.
4. co-opt additional WCOA (UK) members on to the Committee.
5. appoint an auditor who shall annually certify the accounts at 31 October and circulate these accounts to WCOA (UK) members with notice of the AGM.

4.7 The Secretary, or any other Committee Member to whom the Committee has delegated the tasks below, shall:

1. keep records of all meetings.
2. maintain a UK Membership Register.
3. maintain a UK Class Register.
4. communicate Committee decisions to members and to such individuals/organisations as directed by the Committee.
5. advise Committee members of the next meeting giving at least 14 days notice in writing.
6. answer communications from members or those interested in the Class, or refer communications to the proper quarter within the Class organisation for action to be taken.
7. collaborate with the builders to enrol new owners and provide information on the WCOA (UK) facilities and activities, on receipt of their address, WCOA (UK) registration fee and appropriate membership subscription for one year, paid for by the builder. (See section 7 and 9.)

4.8 The Treasurer, under the direction of the Committee, shall:

1. have charge of funds and make disbursements.
2. record in books of account all assets, goods and monies received and expended.
3. present a financial statement at the AGM.
4. submit an annual budget to the Committee.

4.9 If the Committee calls for a postal vote amongst WCOA (UK) members, the proposal shall be worded so that it may be answered by a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Replies shall be invalid unless received within 21 days from the date of dispatch of voting papers. A postal vote shall not be effective unless at least one fifth of those with voting rights reply. No resolution shall be carried unless at least two thirds of the votes cast are in favour of the decision. The results of a postal vote shall be reported within 42 days of the date of the voting paper dispatch, to all members by letter or notice and shall then become operative.

4.10 In an emergency the Committee may grant a temporary dispensation in respect of the Class Rules. Such temporary dispensation shall be operative immediately until the next general meeting. Such temporary dispensation shall, as soon as possible, be submitted to the WCIC (when formed) for confirmation or refusal as a permanent dispensation.

5.1 The rate of annual subscriptions shall be decided by a general meeting and shall become due on 1 January. The Committee may vary the annual subscription by an amount not exceeding 25% per annum without reference to general meeting. A member joining after I October in any year, whose subscription shall have been paid for that year, shall not be liable to pay a subscription for the ensuing year.

5.2 Any member whose subscription has not been paid by 31 March may, at the discretion of the Committee, be removed from the membership register or, on payment of the subscription, have membership restored

1. the Association’s audited accounts
2. the contribution due to be paid to the WCIC (when formed)
3. any proposal by the WCIC (when formed) for amendments or additions to the Class Rules
4. the names of those WCOA (UK) members who have been proposed as members of the Committee and have indicated their willingness to serve on the Committee.

7.1 On receipt of the documents required by the Wanderer Class Rule 4, the boat shall be entered on the Register maintained by the WCOA (UK). On notification of change of ownership, the WCOA (UK) shall amend the Register without charge.

7.2 The Builder shall be responsible for completion and forwarding of the Builder’s Certificate, as required by The Wanderer Class Rule 4, when issuing a building plaque.

8.1 The Secretary, or any other Committee Member to whom the Committee has delegated the task, shall maintain a Membership Register showing the names and addresses of the owners, each owner’s club (if any) and sail numbers and names of boats

9.1 The Builder’s Certificate may also be known as Builder’s Statement of Conformity or Certificate of Conformity. For brevity, only the term “Builder’s Certificate” will be used in the constitution and rules and refers collectively to Builder’s Certificate, Builders Statement of Conformity and Certificate of Conformity.

9.2 A Builder’s certificate in quadruplicate shall be prepared by the Builder, in respect of each boat built recording the details listed under class rule 4.1.

No boat shall be deemed a Wanderer Class dinghy until one copy of the Builder’s Certificate, has been passed to the owner together with a building plaque to be fastened in a conspicuous place on the hull of the boat.

One copy shall be retained by the Builder, one by the Copyright Holder, and one copy sent to the WCONA membership secretary.

9.3 No Wanderer owner shall be eligible to race in class competitions without a valid Builder’s Certificate, unless the sailing instructions issued in advance on behalf of the WCOA Committee clearly state otherwise.

10.1 The Committee shall collaborate with the Designer and Copyright Holders in the maintenance of the one-design principle to ensure as far as possible equal performance between boats within the Class.

10.2 No boat shall be eligible to race within the Wanderer Class, or to be recognised as a Wanderer sailboat, unless built by a builder licensed by the Copyright Holder.

11.1 Notwithstanding anything which appears to the contrary in the WCOA Class Rules, any decision of the Committee or members of the Association which may be in any way connected with the Official Drawings and/or the Specifications of the Wanderer sailboat, shall be subject to the approval of the Copyright Holder or Representatives nominated by him.

1. they shall be open to any Wanderer Sailboat
2. the owner shall hold a valid Builder’s Certificate (see section 9)
3. at least one member of the crew of the boat shall be a Full or Honorary or Associate member of any national association of the Wanderer Class recognised by the WCOA (UK)
4. the scoring system shall be in accordance with the WCOA (UK) recommendations
5. the championship winner shall be the helmsman with the best score for the series. Helmsmen with the same score shall be declared to have tied.

13.1 The Association shall arrange for and promote cruising rallies, either separately or in conjunction with racing events.