Solent Rules

The rules of the International Dragon Class are obtainable from the International Dragon Association http://www.intdragon.net/Rules and Regulations.  The Solent Division (aka Solent Fleet) falls under the aegis of the British Dragon Association www.britishdragons.org

  1. Name – The Class shall be called “The International Dragon Class (Solent Division)”
  2. Rules – The Division’s local rules shall apply to all regattas in the Solent (including Cowes Week) unless other special arrangements have been announced
  3. Officers – The Officers of the Class shall consist of a Captain, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, and optionally a Vice Captain when appropriate.
    1. The Captain shall not serve for more than three years consecutively
    2. No other Officer of the Class shall serve for more than three years without offering themselves for re-election
  4. Inspection of Boats – The Captain of the Class may inspect a boat, including her sails and equipment, at any time.
  5. Membership – All applications for membership shall be made to the Hon. Secretary
    1. Non-owning membership shall be available, by invitation of the Officers of the Class, to previous owners and others who have a special interest in the Solent Division and who wish to be kept informed of its activities
    2. No boat may be raced regularly in the class whose owners have not been admitted to membership. Any boat, which is owned or part-owned, by anyone who for any reason has not been admitted to membership shall, at the discretion of the Officers of the Class, be considered to have been sold out of the class.
    3. Honorary and Temporary Membership may be extended to the Owner(s) of visiting Dragon Yachts, at the discretion of the Officers of the Class.
  6. Voting – Each fully paid up member is allowed one vote at all meetings
  7. Annual General Meeting – There shall be an Annual General Meeting (AGM) that will normally be held in Cowes at the weekend of the first racing of the season Four weeks notice shall be given of this meeting, which will be held for the following purposes: –
    1. To receive from the Officers of the Class a statement of the accounts of the preceding financial year
    2. To elect the officers
    3. To decide any resolution which may has been submitted to the meeting. A member desirous of moving any resolution at the AGM shall give notice thereof, in writing, to the Hon. Secretary two weeks before.
    4. To decide final details for the coming season.
  8. Quorum – At all meetings a quorum shall consist of five voting members.
  9. Alteration to Rules –
    1. These rules shall not be altered or added to unless each member has been advised of the proposed alteration in writing
    2. These rules shall not be altered or added to except by a two-thirds majority vote at any Annual or Special General Meeting
  10. Special General Meeting – The captain shall call a Special General Meeting if requested to do so by the owners of at least four boats.
  11. Duties – The Officers of the Class shall be responsible for all details connected with the welfare of the class.
  12. Official Measurer – All boats, sails, and spars shall be measured by an Official Measurer appointed by the BDA. He may, during the season, carry out periodical inspection of boats as considered necessary by the Captain of the Class.
  13. Subscription – The annual subscription for Owner Membership shall be £60, for Non-Owning membership shall be £20 for members who pay by Standing Order by 1st Fees are increased by £5 for other forms of payment.
  14. Paid hands – an owner of a Dragon may employ one professional hand.
  15. Crew – During a race there may not be more than four persons on board (IDA rule 13 refers).
  16. Echo Sounders – These may be used.
  17. Electronic Pumps and Electronic/Digital Compasses – These may be used (IDA rule 11.10.3 refers)
  18. VHF – May be carried.
  19. Haul Out restrictions, Diving Equipment and Plastic Pools for Cowes Week – All boats shall be afloat prior to their first race until the end of the regatta (or when hauling to depart the regatta if sooner) and shall not be hauled out during the regatta. Nor shall underwater breathing apparatus, plastic pools or their equivalent be used around participating boats between the Starting Signal of the first race and the end of the regatta, except with and according to the prior written permission of the International Jury/Protest Committee.