CLUB CONSTITUTION RULES
SOUTHPORT MODEL BOAT CLUB 2023 – 2024
CLUB RULES as amended 2016
SAILING WATER – JUBILEE LAKE, ROTTEN ROW, SOUTHPORT
Details of all the committee members can be found in the newsletter, or at the storage facility.
Insurers – Stamp Insurance Services
Trustees – TBC
SOUTHPORT MODEL BOAT CLUB
CLUB CONSTITUTION RULES
AMENDED YEAR 2016
1. The name of the club shall be Southport Model Boat Club, and the aims and objectives are to bring members together for the purpose of exchanging ideas and opinions on all aspects of design and construction of model boats.
2. The day to day running of the club will be arranged by a committee comprising of 3 elected officers, a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. A further 4 offices who will be co-opted to the committee to carry out the duties of Membership Secretary, Vice Chairman, Health and Safety and Newsletter editor. Further members may be co-opted to the committee when a need arises. Elections for the positions of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer will take place in the month of October at the AGM.
The 3 elected officers will serve for a term of 12 months commencing at an AGM held in the month of October.
Each year the outgoing elected committee will call the AGM one month prior to October, stating the date, time and venue.
3. An AGM of the club will be held in October of each year to Receive reports from the outgoing committee and elect the new Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. An Honorary President shall be nominated at each AGM to supervise the election of the Committee members.
4. The committee and /or Trustees may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) at any time. The date, time, location and reason for the EGM shall be communicated to members in as far in advance as is practically possible.
Any proposal for winding up the club shall be considered as an AGM, if this is happens any monies shall be donated to a chosen charity.
5. There shall be 5 types of membership, Full Member, Family Member, Junior Member, Life member and Friend.
Applications for membership must be on the prescribed forms and must be renewed annually; membership may be refused if there is evidence of previous misconduct, including at other clubs. New members are considered as probationary members until 6 months of satisfactory membership has been completed. The fees for these different
Memberships will be set at the AGM, Life and Friend memberships are free. All renewing club memberships fees must be fully paid up by 31st January each year. Any member who is in arrears after that date shall be deemed to have resigned from the club. New Applicants for membership applying before 30th September pay full fees and after that date pay half fees. Public Liability Insurance shall be included in the agreed membership fees.
6. Any person who does not own or sail a model boat can be made a friend of Southport Model Boat Club by a vote of two thirds of the full Committee.
7. In the event of any member having a complaint in writing made about them by another member, of being, in the opinion of the membership, in breach of the club rules or guilty of conduct undesirable to the aims and objectives or behaviour prejudicial to the interest of Southport Model Boat Club, the member will be given a written warning. If a further complaint is made, a further breach of the rules happens or further bad behaviour, the member will be called before a special meeting of the Committee, when the member will be given the opportunity to defend him/herself, and failing to offer satisfactory explanation they will be expelled from the club. No refund of subscription will be made on expulsion.
8. The club’s insurance shall only extend to those members whose boats are either free running or radio controlled. No internal combustion engines are to be operated at any time on the model boat pond. All members cars must display their roundel for the current year, and parked as directed by the groundsman, or other official. Neither Southport Model Boat Club nor any of its duly elected officers accept any responsibility for any accident however it may occur whilst a member is to or from the pond on public road regardless of whether the member is a driver or passenger in the vehicle. The Committee shall not be liable or responsible for any loss, injury or damage suffered by the members, members’ relatives or guests. All members are responsible for their guests at all times in thought, word and deed.
9. The Club’s Health & Safety policy is it’s overriding policy. All accidents, in the first instance, which happen at a club event, or meeting, shall be reported in writing to the clubs Health & Safety officer, and an entry made in the Accident book for the pond. The policies for Vulnerable Children and Vulnerable Adults will be adhered to and notifications of any breach shall be made in writing to the club’s Health & Safety Officer. These policies shall be reviewed from time to time by the Committee.
10. The making of profit shall not be the objective of the club. However the Committee may identify potential projects or charities aimed at improving the running the club for which funds may be allocated. All monies donated or received shall be handed to the Treasurer who shall keep proper records and prepare such accounts to be presented at the AGM.
RULES OF THE POND
1. Members are requested not to walk on the pond liner. Members shall pick up all litter and leave the toilets as they would expect to find them.
2. No transmitter shall be switched on without the member putting a peg on the frequency board, except for 2.4 users.
3. Aerials shall display the frequency ribbon and have a safety ball in place.
4. For Health and Safety reasons boats shall not squirt unclean or pond water where spectators may be splashed.
5. Fast boats or those that create a large wash must use the top end of the pond (i.e. farthest away from the launch area) when other boats are sailing.
6. No internal combustion engine powered boats to be used.
7. Only members who are sailing should park adjacent to the launch area. Members should park on the Model Boat Club section of the car park, unless otherwise directed by the Groundsman or other Official.
8. Members must not use any flying machines on or over the Pond and surrounding grounds.
Failure to comply with these rules may result in expulsion from the club
IMPORTANT HEALTH AND SAFETY NOTICE
DO NOT STAND ON THE BLACK POND LINER AS IT IS LIKELY YOU WILL FALL IN
Be patient, remember that you boat will eventually drift in. Why not include a small fishing rod or clothes line prop in your kit to retrieve dead boats
The pond depth is approximately 1 metre
If you see someone standing on the liner, please courteously inform them they are in real danger.
IF SOMEONE HAS FALLEN IN:-
There are 2 lifebelts on either side of the pond.
The whole pond liner is EXTREMELY SLIPPY
Easiest escape areas? Guide to the RED BOUY where there are sandbags to climb onto, or to the north end, where the launch area is a straight drop.
If in doubt call 999 – JUBILEE POND, ROTTEN ROW, SOUTHPORT PR8 2BZ
Please make a note of any incident and pass on to a committee member ASAP (Incident forms are available for the storage facility)
Please have a look at the Plan (not to scale ) and familiarise yourself when you visit the pond.
DO NOT HESITATE to ask if you need any further advice.