1. Name

The Society shall be called "ff New Zealand Incorporated".

2. Registered Office

The registered office of the Society shall be at the offices of Messrs Joynt Andrews, Solicitors, 141 Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch or such other place as the Committee shall from time to time determine.

3 Objectives

The objectives of the Society are to promote and further the interests of the International Flying Fifteen class of sailing yacht in New Zealand by:-

* Maintaining the One Design characteristic of the Class.

* Controlling and managing the affairs of the Class.

* Encouraging and co-ordinating local and national competition within the Class.

4. Definitions

"Boat" means a yacht which complies with all requirements for the Class.

"Class" means the Flying Fifteen class of sailing yacht.

"FFI" means Flying Fifteen International, which is the parent body of the Class.

"ISAF" means International Sailing Federation.

"Fleet" means a fleet compromising not less than six boats owned by members of the Society in any district or area, and any question as to the existence or otherwise of a Fleet may be determined by the Committee in its discretion.

"Fleet Captain" means the person so elected or appointed by the persons in each separate Fleet.

"Fleet Secretary" means the Secretary of any Fleet.

"Member" means a current Full Member, Life Member or Associate Member of the Society.

"National Championship" means the annual New Zealand championship competition for the Class conducted with the authority of the Society.

"President" means the person who is a Full Member and who is duly elected to be President of the Society.

"Secretary" means the person elected to be Secretary/Treasurer of the Society.

"Society" means "ff New Zealand".

"YNZ" means the Yachting New Zealand.

5. Membership

The membership of the Society shall include the following:

5.1 Full Members

Any person who has a financial interest in any registered Flying Fifteen Class yacht which has a valid measurement certificate.

5.2 Associate Members

Any person interested in the Class or its Society who is neither a Full Member nor a Life Member.

5.3 Life Members

Persons who have provided extraordinary service to the Class or the Society or both. Life Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of full membership of the Society without being called upon to pay any subscription.

6. Application For And Election To Membership

6.1 Applications for Full Membership or Associate Membership shall be made in writing to a Fleet Secretary where the applicant resides. Each Fleet shall admit to the Society such applicants as it thinks fit and advise the Secretary of the name and address of all persons so

elected. Full Members and Associate Members shall be financial members of a Club affiliated to the YNZ.

6.2 Nomination for Life Membership may be moved and seconded by any two current financial Full Members of the Society and given by notice in writing to the President not less than eight weeks before the next Annual General Meeting at which such application may be considered Provided That such nomination shall contain a full description of such

extraordinary service as the nominee may have rendered to the Society and/or the Class. Any nomination for life membership will be considered by the Committee and if recommended by majority vote of the General Committee such nomination shall be placed on the Agenda for the next succeeding Annual General Meeting. Any nomination for life membership so recommended shall be determined by majority vote of all Full Members and Life Members of the Society.

7. General Meetings

7.1 The Annual General meeting of the Society shall be held at such suitable time in such convenient place during the National Championship of the Class as the Committee may determine. A quorum shall be nine (9) Full Members. Every Member shall be entitled to attend a General Meeting and shall receive not less than four (4) weeks notice

in writing of the Annual General Meeting, together with an Agenda. Any member who seeks to place a matter on the Agenda shall give notice in writing to the Secretary not less than six (6) weeks before the first day of the month in which the Annual General Meeting is to be held. The Chairman of the meeting shall be entitled to allow any matter other than a proposal to alter this Constitution to be discussed and decided at the meeting notwithstanding that the required notice may not have been given.

7.2 Special meetings may be convened by the Secretary upon a request by the Committee or seven (7) Members upon a similar notice which shall state the business to be considered at the meeting.

7.3 The President, if present, shall act as Chairman of every General Meeting, but in his absence the Full Members present shall elect a Chairman for the meeting.

8. Voting

8.1 At a General Meeting and Special Meeting each Full Member is entitled to one vote provided that if there are more than one such members present who between them share ownership of a boat then limited to one vote per boat.

8.2 Any Full Member may appoint a proxy to vote in his/her stead, or may vote in writing on any item appearing in the Agenda. The appointment of a proxy must be in writing and the appointment must be lodged with the Secretary before the commencement of the meeting.

8.3 At Annual or Special Meetings or on ballots every Resolution shall be decided by a simply majority of Voting Members present at the meeting in person or by proxy or of votes cast on a ballot (as the case may be), except Resolutions concerned with the Class Rules which require a two thirds majority or alteration of these Rules (see paragraph 18).

9. General Committee

9.1 The Committee of the Society shall comprise the following persons:-

9.1.1 The President; and

9.1.2 The Secretary; and

9.1.3 Fleet Captains of all the Fleets.

This Committee shall meet during the National Championship, or at any other time as and when the President convenes meeting(s) upon his own initiative or upon a request by not less than two Committee Members. A quorum shall be the President, the Secretary and at least two Fleet Captains, present either in person or by proxy or by electronic medium.

9.2 The President will preside at meetings of the Committee at which each Committee Member including the President shall have one vote and, in the case of equality of votes, the President shall have a casting vote.

9.3 Any other Officer of the Society may attend meetings of the Committee if invited by the President but may not vote.

9.4 All business of the Society which does not require to be dealt with at a General Meeting of Members shall be transacted by the Committee who shall have authority to exercise any of the powers and duties conferred on the Society by this Constitution, to manage the affairs of the Society and, subject to paragraph 13, to control its finances, and do all things which are necessary to carry out its objectives.

10. Officers

The Officers of the Society shall consist of the following persons:-

10.1 President, who shall be Chairman of the Committee; and

10.2 Fleet Captains; and

10.3 Secretary; and

10.4 The Flying Fifteen International Council Member; and

10.5 The Technical Representatives; and

10.6 Technical Committee comprising three persons; and

10.7 Honorary Registrar; and

10.8 The Editor of a Class news magazine; and

10.9 Publicity Officer.

11. Representation At Class World Championships

11.1 Skippers and crews of boats to represent the Society at World Championships of the Class from time to time shall be selected in accordance with FFI Championship Regulations and, where New Zealand representative status is sought, in accordance with the prescriptions of YNZ. Such persons shall be selected by the Committee by reference primarily to finishing places in Selection Trials conducted by the Society for the purpose.

11.2 Such selection shall be subject to nomination to and approval by YNZ.

11.3 The Committee shall appoint such Manager and/or other representatives to accompany any team of persons selected to represent the Society as the Committee deems fit after due consultation with the persons so selected Provided That such appointment(s) shall be subject to nomination to and approval by YNZ.

12. Subscriptions

12.1 Full Members and Associate Members shall pay an annual subscription which may be of different amounts for each status of membership. The amount of the annual subscription and mode of payment thereof shall be fixed from time to time in Annual General Meeting.

12.2 All subscriptions and other money received by the Society shall be paid to the Secretary who shall deposit the same into a bank account in the name of the Society approved by the Committee.

13. Funds

13.1 All money shall be delivered to the Secretary who shall pay the same into a bank account in the name of the Society.

13.2 The Secretary shall invest any money not required for the immediate purposes of the Society as may be approved by the Committee from time to time.

13.3 Any property acquired by the Society shall be vested in the President and Secretary as Trustees for the Society.

13.4 The President and Secretary may deal with property vested in them as Trustees as directed by the Society. Such direction shall be given by a resolution of the Full Members of the Society passed by a majority of the Full Members present at a duly convened meeting of the Society and when so passed shall in favour of any purchaser,

mortgagee, chargee, lessee or grantee be binding on all members of the Society. A certificate purporting to be signed by the Secretary for the time being of the Society shall in favour of the said persons be conclusive evidence that a direction complying in all respects with the above provisions of this rule was given to the President and Secretary.

14. National Championship

14.1 In each year the Society shall authorise a yacht club affiliated to YNZ to conduct a National Championship at a place to be determined by the Annual General Meeting or, if approved by resolution of the Annual General Meeting, by the Committee after due consultation with the Fleets.

14.2 The National Championship shall be open to entry by any Member of the Society who is also a financial Member of a yacht club affiliated to YNZ.

14.3 Every boat entering the National Championship shall hold a current Registration Certificate and Measurement Certificate for the class.

14.4 Every person who competes in a boat in a National Championship shall be a financial member of the Society.

14.5 The National Championships shall be sailed in accordance with sailing instructions issued for that contest by a yacht club affiliated to YNZ.

15. Fleet Organisation

15.1 The General Committee may from time to time upon request by any Member of the Society resolve:

15.1.1 To recognise the existence of a Fleet as defined herein.

15.1.2 To determine the dissolution of a Fleet.

15.2 Every Fleet shall upon recognition by the Society:

15.2.1 Appoint a Fleet Captain to represent it at the Committee of the Society.

15.2.3 Responsibility administer activities of the Class in its area.

16. Relationship With Area Associations

In accordance with the requirements of YNZ the Society and its Fleets acknowledge the jurisdiction and control of YNZ and Area Associations and Fleets will affiliate either directly or indirectly with Area Associations when called upon to do so by YNZ or by the Society.

17. Class Register

A permanent Class Register shall be maintained by the Honorary Registrar of the Society or other person appointed at the Annual General Meeting who shall issue ISAF numbers to boats. A copy of the Class Register shall be made available to the YNZ and, upon request,

to such members of YNZ as may require it. Boats shall comply with the Class Rules and measurement requirements fixed by FFI as authorised by IRYU, or such other authority as may from time to time be responsible for international control of the Class.

18. Alterations To Rules

These Rules may be altered or added to by a resolution passed at an Annual General Meeting of the Society and carried by two-thirds majority of members present at such meeting in person or by proxy Provided That notice of any resolution relating thereto has been included on the Agenda in the Notice convening the meeting together with:

18.1 Particulars of existing wording which is proposed should be altered;

18.2 Notice of Motion proposing alteration.

18.3 Reason for the proposed change.

18.4 Advice to members not attending that a proxy vote is sought in respect of the proposed change. And Provided Further that no alteration shall be made which removes the tax exempt status of the Society.

19. Seal

The Seal shall be retained by the Secretary for the time being and shall only be used by authority of the Committee and documents sealed with it shall be signed by the President and/or Secretary as authorised by the Committee.

20. Winding Up

Upon the winding up of the Society, the excess of assets over liabilities shall be given to YNZ for the betterment of yachting in New Zealand.