| 1. | NAME |
| The name of the District Association shall be the (Name or Geographic Designation) ............ Laser Association and it shall have its offices at Address ................ in the City of ............... |
| 2. | OBJECTS | |
| The objects of the District Association are | ||
| (a) | to provide a medium of exchange of information among Laser Sailors in the District; | |
| (b) | to promote and develop Laser Class racing within this District; | |
| (c) | to encourage and foster the enjoyment of the sporting and recreational aspects of sailing through the development of fleets within the District; and | |
| (d) | to co-ordinate the activities of this District with other Districts within the Region. | |
| 3. | FLEET CHARTERS | |
| (1) | A fleet may be granted a Fleet Charter upon application to the District Association by six or more persons who are members of the International Laser Class Association and who are individual owners of Lasers within an area or club deemed appropriate having regard to locality where regular racing activity is easily accessible to members of that Fleet. | |
| (2) | Notwithstanding Paragraph (1), a special Fleet may be chartered in any locality for the purposes of accommodating specific members of the armed forces, an educational institution, a junior programme or any other non-profit organisation. | |
| (3) | A Fleet Captain, and such other officers if any as the Fleet may deem necessary, shall be elected annually from among the members of the Fleet in such manner as is prescribed by the Fleet, unless otherwise provided by a By-Law of the District Association, and shall be responsible to the District Association for the organisation of the Fleet and the due compliance by the members of the Fleet with the provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association. | |
| 4. | ASSOCIATION OFFICERS | |
| The District Association shall be comprised of a | ||
| (a) | District Chairman who shall be responsible for the co-ordination of all activities of the District Association within the District, shall represent the District at Annual Meetings of the Region in accordance with the Constitution of the International Laser Class Association, shall chair all Annual Meetings of the District Association, and shall otherwise perform the normal functions of the senior officer within the District; | |
| (b) | District Vice Chairman who shall act in the place instead of the Chairman in the event of his inability or refusal to act and in addition he shall be the Sailing Secretary of the District and be responsible for the development of District racing programmes of all kinds, the supervision of sanctioned events, and co-ordination with other Sailing Secretaries of all inter-District racing; | |
| (c) | District Secretary who shall be responsible for maintaining all membership and other records and correspondence of the District Association, the preparation of the District Newsletter, if any, and shall otherwise carry out such responsibilities as may be assigned to him by the District Chairman; | |
| (d) | District Treasurer who shall be responsible for determination of the entitlement of applicants to membership in accordance with Paragraph 10 of the Constitution, the collection of dues to be levied for membership in accordance with Section 11 of the said Constitution, the maintenance of all accounts to the District membership thereon and preparation of an annual financial statement for the membership; and | |
| (e) | District Measurer, if one is appointed by the Chief Measurer of the International Laser Class Association, who shall carry out the responsibilities set forth in subparagraph (6) of paragraph 8 of the Constitution. | |
| 5. | The District Association may appoint such additional officers to perform such duties or to carry out such special projects as may from time to time be determined by the District Association and they shall hold office for such term as it may determine. |
| 6. | The District Association may appoint such committees, as may be deemed appropriate from time to time to carry out the functions and duties as are prescribed by the District Association; and the District Chairman shall be a member ex-officio of any committee so established. |
| 7. | ANNUAL MEETINGS AND ELECTION TO OFFICE | ||
| (1) | The District Association shall hold an Annual Meeting at such time as may be determined by resolution of the District Association, but not later than fifteen months from the date of the last Annual Meeting. | ||
| (2) | Notice of the Annual Meeting shall be sent to all members of the District Association not less than fourteen days prior to the Meeting and such notice shall include: | ||
| (a) | an agenda for the said Meeting, | ||
| (b) | a notice of any special By-Law whether to amend the District General By-Law or to enact any other By-Laws, | ||
| (c) | a summary of the annual reports of the District Chairman and the Treasurer, and | ||
| (d) | a report of the nominating committee, if any, for the election of officers for the ensuing year. | ||
| (3) | Any member of the District Association shall be entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting and to vote thereat. | ||
| (4) | A majority of members voting in favour of a resolution at the Annual Meeting shall be sufficient, except for resolutions which report to amend the District General By-Law or to enact any other By-Law which shall require a two-thirds majority thereof to be effective. | ||
| (5) | Officers of the Association elected at an Annual General Meeting of the Association shall hold office until their successors are elected. | ||
| 8. | FEES | ||
| The annual fees of the District Association shall be payable to the Association not later than the first day of March in any year or such other day as the District Association shall by By-Law determine, provided that no person may race a Laser in any event after the last date for payment shall fall due unless the said dues have been fully paid and he shall be a member of the International Laser Class Association as required by the Class Rules. | |||
| 9. | DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS | ||
| (1) | The District Association shall annually sponsor a District Championship sailing event which shall be open to any member of the District Association to be held at such place within the District as the District Association shall determine. | ||
| (2) | The District Championship event shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Racing By-Law passed by the World Council. | ||
| 10. | BY-LAWS | ||
| The District Association may make By-Laws for the purpose of carrying out the objects of these General By-Laws and, without restricting the generality of the foregoing, may make By-Laws | |||
| (1) | determining the fiscal year of the District Association; | ||
| (2) | determining the period within which the Annual General Meeting must be held; | ||
| (3) | establishing nominating committees and methods of formation thereof; | ||
| (4) | subject to any By-Law of the International Laser Class Association, respecting the conduct of any regatta within the District and the eligibility of members for major racing events; | ||
| (5) | respecting the acceptance of deeds of gift of trophies; | ||
| (6) | changing the Head Office of the District; | ||
| (7) | respecting the conduct of the business of the District; | ||
| (8) | giving effect to the provisions of any local or general public law having application in the District enacted by any governmental body having jurisdiction; | ||
| (9) | respecting the organisation, constitution, and operation of fleets within the District; and | ||
| (10) | respecting the constitution and eligibility for committees including nominating committees. | ||
| 11. | COMING INTO FORCE | ||
| (1) | This By-Law comes into force | ||
| (a) | in respect of any District established by the World Council prior to the first day of November 1973, on the said date; and | ||
| (b) | in respect of any District established on or after the first day of November 1973, on the date of the By-Law of the World Council establishing such District pursuant to provisions of Section 8 of the Constitution. | ||
| (c) | The World Council upon establishing a District shall designate the name of the District and the location of the offices thereof and may, in addition, approve any addition to the said District General By-Law as may be required to meet the laws of such District or any special circumstances, provided such additions are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution or this By-Law. | ||