Annual General Meeting 2018 - Voting Results & Decisions Made

19.11.2018

November 19, 2018 - The Annual General meeting of the International Melges 24 Class Association's World Council was held in Palma de Mallorca on November 10. Here are the voting results and decisions made by the AGM.  

 

2. Introduction of new representatives, Chairman’s report

3. Round Table Class Reports & Updates
Class reports:

4. Minutes of the 2017 meeting ; Short Summary  
5. Financial Report 2018 and 2019 Budgets   
6. Marketing & Communications Report 2018   
7. Technical Report  
8. Builder's Report

WORLD COUNCIL VOTES - EXEC COMM & COUNTRY VOTES

9. Elections of Executive Committee 

The following Executive positions are up for election at the 2018 Annual General Meeting (See the full list of current Exec Comm):

  • Vice Chair Europe, Miles Quinton elected on 2015, 3 year term, up for election 2018 - no nominations submitted

Jens Wathne was proposing Miles to extend the term of Miles, Michael Good was seconding this proposal. 
Miles has been elected unanimously to continue with another term.

10. National Class Association Submissions to AGM 

After discussion a new wording for sentence #10 in the Regatta Regulations' part 14. SUPPORT BOATS was proposed:

CURRENT AMENDMENT PROPOSAL FOR #10 UNDER COACH AND SUPPORT BOATS : Coach and support boats shall not communicate with competitors (by any means) from the time the racers leave the dock until the completion of the final race.

NEW AMENDMENT FOR #10 UNDER COACH AND SUPPORT BOATS: Coach and support boats shall not communicate with competitors (by any means) from the warning signal of the first race of the day until the competitor has finished the last race of the day.

AGM voted to accept the amendment of the text.
Amendment passes – 51 yes / 7 no / 7 abstained

Votes: 9 yes / 46 no / 10 abstain
The proposal was not voted in.

Tech Comm will move on to put up an independent group to come up with the solutions, and obviously discussing the options with the sailmakers.
Votes: 58 yes / 7 abstained 
The AGM agreed on to move on with the Norwegian submission. 

11. Proposed Class Rule Changes 

Voting – 20 YES / 35 YNO / 10 abstain
Submission failed.

VOTING on proposal to increase weight limit to 390 kg, but keeping the class rule H.3.
24 YES / 29 NO / 12 Abstain
Submission failed.

48 YES / 9 NO / 8 abstain
AGM decided to remove Class Rule H.3 - Random Crew Weight check during the regatta – The language regards the penalty system following the Class Rule Amendment needs to be written before submitting amendment to WS.

Proposal from Tech Comm: Extract from the regatta regulations: Races will not be started unless winds are consistently above 6 knots at the time of the start. This is the suggestion from the regatta regulations which applies to major events.
Tech Comm suggestion: to replace word “will” with “shall”, John Abel agreed on that.
It’s not the voting item since it is not the class rule and can be amended in the Regatta Regs – decided by the Exec Comm.

Tech Comm in majority was in agreement with Judges’ opinion not to amend the rule. Discussion was held on the topic.
Voting: 22 YES / 25 NO / 18 Abstain
Recalculating after CAN gave their correct vote result: 27 YES / 25 NO / 13 Abstain 
Amendment passes with the following wording: C.11.5. RRS 42.3 (c) is modified to allow the spinnaker sheet to be trimmed without restrictions in all conditions, and all sails to be trimmed by its sheets without restrictions in order to initiate surfing or planing downwind.

Voting: 47 YES / 15 Abstain / 3 NO
Amendment passes.

Voting: 44 YES / 15 Abstain / 10 NO
Amendment passes.

Voting: YES 40 / NO 15 / Abstain 10
Amendment passes. Drawing will be added to the class rule.

Was voted with USA submission #4 and was decided to remove Class Rule H.3

Wording need to be good, but the Tech Comm group was in favour of using this. Rounded, dimension of tennis ball.
Voting: 50 YES / 0 NO / 15 Abstain
Amendment passes.

YES 48 / NO 5 / 12 Abstain
Amendment passes.

12. Proposed changes to Class Constitution   

Online voting system? Long discussion was held on this topic, but seems that the NC’s have not been thinking it through correctly.
We need to think clearly, what can be the consequences following.
John Abel: Regatta regulations are a technical document containing a lot of detail. They are developed and maintained by a working group of four international race officers. Putting this document directly in the hands of all the membership to approve every detail will grind this process to a halt.

Jens Wathne was making a motion asking US to review and redo the motion looking at the consequences and making sure if there are parts in the constitution what are related and what need to be changed. Laura Grondin was seconding the motion.
Krak Arntson: I feel the proposal as written is not detailed enough and oversimplifies everything that is involved, I think that there is an intention behind this that i support but that the US needs to do its homework more fully to think through and write on the entire process that needs to be modified to accommodate the interests.

World Council didn’t feel comfortable to vote on this submission and was seconded by US rep.

13. Future Events, current situation

  • 2019 Worlds – Cagliari, ITA  

Current situation, overview from ITA class President Andrea Racchelli. Venue changed to be Villasimius in Sardinia and dates to October 5-12. WEBSITE launched.
Marina Villasimius hosted GC32 series this year. Andrea Racchelli was giving the explanations why the venue was moved from Cagliari to Villasimius.
Hosting club will be - Lega Navale Italiana

  • 2019 North Americans – Grand Traverse YC, MI - Current situation 

John Abel was commenting and saying the dates in August 2019. The procedure is well on track.

 

14. Future Events, proposals & decisions 

Charleston will be hosting 2020 Worlds as the only candidate – happy to read Randy Draftz’ thorough bid.

SLO and DEN both sublitted intentions to bid. Soren Blume, President of the Danish Class, was explaining the situation of the Danish class and they withdrew 2020. Branko Parunov presented the bid of Slovenia and Portoroz was accepted as the host of the 2020 Melges 24 Europeans. As Portoroz has a long experience with hosting Melges 24 international events there, there wasn’t any doubts that it will be a successful and well attended regatta. More info at the AGM website. Dates are between 21 August and October.
2020 Europeans has been decided to go to Portoroz, Slovenia, possible week August 21-28.

DEN intention to bid – Soren Blume, President of the Danish Class, was presenting the bid of the Danish Melges 24 Class prepared by himself and Nicklaus DeWitt Fordham introducing two different venue options for the 2021 Worlds. Very thorough and detailed bid was describing Denmark in general and very detailed the potential venues.
Sailors For The Sea – event!
AGM discussed the venue options and was in favour of Royal Danish Yacht Club & Hellerup Sailing Club at Skovshoved Harbour
2021 Worlds has been decided to go to Denmark – dates late June or August.

15. Any Other Business 

  • Review and approval of IM24CA Regatta Regulations and Championship Rules 

John Abel was explaining the amendments made and the amended documents will be published at IM24CA website shortly.

  • AGM 2019 - Jens proposed to host the AGM in Bergen.