OBJECTIVES:

Albemarle Sound SailingAssociation (ASSA) Bylaws

1. To provide more valid ratings for the racing yachts of the association.

2. To provide local and direct evaluation of yacht ratings.

3. To provide an unbiased authority for rating adjudication.

4. To establish scoring rules for interclub racing.

5. To be the official measuring group for the member clubs of the association.

6. To provide more responsive rating certification than has been received from more

   remote associations.

7. To promote the Albemarle Sound area nationally as a viable yacht racing area.

ARTICLES OF THE BYLAWS

I. ADDRESS
The mailing address is P.O. Box 612 Elizabeth City, N.C. 27909.

II. MEETINGS
All meetings shall be held at places convenient for all the club representatives. Time and place shall be chosen by the Commodore. As a minimum there shall be meetings held quarterly on the second Tuesday, 7:30 P.M. on the following months: January, April, July, and October.

III. REPRESENTATION
The association members shall be provided from each of the three fleets. Duty and title of each of these members shall be determined by a vote of the association members. The term shall be two years and half the members terms shall end on consecutive years. A member may serve additional terms if approved by the club he represents.

IV. OPERATING FUNDS
The necessary operating costs will be provided from charges to fleet members for the rating and measurement certification of their yachts. These costs are to maintain enrollment in the US Sailing Fleet Handbook.

V. QUORUMS
A minimum of one member from each club shall constitute a quorum to conduct business. To modify or change these bylaws or resolve an appeal, a majority vote of the members present is required.

VI. OFFICERS AND DUTIES
The commodore shall be the coordinator between the association and the US Sailing Association. He shall be considered the chief measurer and will sign the rating certificates after he and the members agree upon the assigned ratings.

The statistician shall be responsible to maintain the PHRF rating data from the member clubs. He shall compile interclub race results and supply the required statistics for the PHRF Fleet Handbook.

The secretary shall keep record of the proceedings of all meetings. The secretary shall preserve all records, reports, documents, and correspondence of the association. Incase of inability to attend a meeting insure necessary records are conveyed to the meeting.

The treasurer shall collect and receive all money due to the association and pay all bills contracted by it; keeping a record of the same. To maintain custody of all funds of the association which shall be placed in a bank approved by the association. To make a report at each meeting, or at other times at the call of the commodore.

1.  The Championship Cup will be awarded at the end of the three regatta series to the club that has the best cumulative record of their best six boat finishes independent of class for each race of the season series.

2. A boat does not have to participate in all three race series to be eligible to count toward the Championship Cup.

3. Individual trophies will be awarded for best of the series and will be awarded to the top three finishers in each of the three classes (Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker Division A and B). A boat must participate in all three races to be eligible for the individual trophy.

4. Each club will attempt to sail two races at each regatta, with the combined scores of both races to count toward the championship cup and individual best of the series trophy. The combined scores of both races should also be used for the individual regatta trophies.

5. Fifty percent of the yachts in a class finish within three hours or the race will be abandoned. Those not finishing within the limit will receive a DNF.

6. A boat owner must have a current rating certificate to be scored for the championship and individual series trophies, but may be scored for regatta trophies without a certificate.

7. In addition to a valid certificate, a yacht must be owned by and have on board a member of a club of the Albemarle

8. Sound Sailing Association Fleet to have points scored for that club for the individual trophies.

9. Multiple ownership of competing yachts as indicated in Rule 21.2 of the IYRU and US Sailing Association Rules states. Two or more yachts owned or chartered wholly or in part by the same body or person shall not compete in the same race without the previous consent of the race committee. For competition towards the Albemarle Championship Cup the consent of the race committee shall be interpreted to be the ASSA Committee and is granted.

10.  For the Albemarle Sound Championship Race Series, these rules will apply.

IX.  POINT SCORING

1.  Clubs entering less than the required number of six boats, will be scored to the highest number (DNF + 1) for the largest class entered; spinnaker versus non-spinnaker division A or B.

2.  Olympic scoring will be used (3/4 point first place, two for second and on).

3.  If a tie should occur in the combined score for a two race regatta, the following tie breaking procedures shall be used.

4.  The yacht with the lowest total cumulative corrected time shall win.
    a. If the yachts using the above scoring are still tied, then the yacht that had the highest finishing place in either of the two races shall be declared the winner.

    b. If a tie still exists, then a flip of the coin shall be the determinate.

X.  SPECIAL RULES

1. Member have studied and approved splitting the non-spinnaker class into two divisions. Boats rated under a PHRF of 214 will be Division A and 214 and above will be Division B.
2. Boat owners can move up from non-spinnaker class during the season, but can't move down.
3. There will be no restriction on whisker pole length for non-spinnaker class boats.
4. To reduce the advantage yachts with two slotted headfoils have over yachts without, the following will apply. Yachts may fly a single jib attached only at the tack and head with no hanks to the forestay. When changing sails the new sail may be hoisted before lowering the old sail; however, the new sail must be hoisted on the same side as the old sail. Except for the above, a boat may only fly a single headsail unless she is cutter rigged.

XI.  HANDICAPPING PROCEDURES

1. A six member handicapping committee, (ASSA) committee consisting of two representatives from each of the three clubs will assign PHRF ratings to all yachts required for scoring of the interclub race series.
2. For boats that are not listed in the PHRF Fleet Handbook, are non-standard or have unusual performance characteristics; the committee will modify the base handicap or assign a rating using all relevant data at its disposal.
3. The PHRF regulations as printed on the back of the rating form will be used for the purpose of adjusting handicaps for such as headsail size, spars and propulsion.
4. The largest headsail and or spinnaker to be used for the year must be declared and measured prior to the first race entered. If a sail is added during the year, it must be measured and the rating adjusted ifnecessary by the ASSA committee.

XII.  RATING APPEALS

1. Appeals will be reviewed at a quarterly meeting, unless determined by the Commodores that a resolution is required before the next club race.

2. Yachts will be awarded a +3 second adjustment if the largest jib is 110% or less.
3. Findings of a rating appeal for a saildrive feathering prop adjustment. No adjustment, or a 0, the same as a folding prop.

XIII. AMENDMENTS

The ASSA Committee may amend these bylaws with a two- thirds vote of the six member committee.

XIV. ADOPTION

These bylaws shall only be adopted after review of the full six member committee and a two thirds vote for adoption.

These amended bylaws will become effective June l, 1995 and the amendments will noted by vertical line following each change.