1. Club. The Club shall be called "The Norfolk Punt Club", with Headquarters at Barton Broad, Norfolk.

2. Objects. The objects of the Club are:-
a) To preserve the traditional local type of punt and to encourage the building, improvement and sailing of them by their owners.
b) The holding and arrangement of matches, races, regattas and competitions in yachting and the provision of prizes and awards.
c) The provision of accommodation with all the usual privileges and advantages of a Club for the purposes aforesaid.

3. Officers. The Officers of the Club shall consist of a Commodore, Vice Commodore and Rear Commodore of whom at least one shall be an Owner-Member, if possible, and an Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary, who shall obtain the written consent of the Chairman of the Committee for each major expenditure of Club money.

4. Management. The sole management of the affairs of the Club shall be in the hands of the Committee, which shall consist of the Officers, Punt Class Secretary and twelve other members. At least four of this Committee shall be Owner-Members. Four shall form a quorum, except on a Regatta day to decide a protest when three shall form a quorum. A co-opted member shall not be one of such a quorum.
It shall be the duty of the Committee to take into consideration the Rules and Regulations, and generally to manage the affairs of the Club, subject to the approval of the Club at its General Meetings.
The decision of the Committee in all disputes and matters referred to it shall be final. In all disputed questions referred to the Committee, in which a member may be interested personally, such member shall not vote nor shall he take part in the discussion, except by desire of the Committee.
After providing for all expenses and payments, considered by the Committee to be necessary or desirable, the balance of the funds may be utilised or dealt with in such a manner as the Committee may determine for the furtherance of the objects of the Club.
The Committee shall have power to act as they deem fit should anything arise which is not provided for in these rules.

5. Election of Officers. The Officers and Committee shall be elected by ballot at the General Meeting of the Club to be held in November, such Officers and Committee to take office as from 1st January next following, for one year.
The Committee may co-opt not more than four additional members. In the event of vacancies occurring between the dates of annual elections the Committee shall have the power to elect other Members of the Club to fill such vacancies.

6. Attendance at Meetings. No Officer or member of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election at the General Meeting who has not attended at least half the summoned meetings held by such Committee during the season then past, unless in the opinion of the Meeting there appears to have been reasonable cause for such Member's non-attendance.

7. Changes in Rules. The Rules and Regulations of the Club shall be as herein specified, and no alteration or addition thereto may be made unless such alteration or addition be proposed and seconded at one meeting of the Committee and sanctioned at that meeting by a majority of not less than two votes to one. All such alterations or additions to the said Rules shall cease to operate as from the date of the next November General Meeting of the Club unless the same be duly confirmed thereat.

8. Annual General Meeting. The Annual General meeting of the Members of the Club, of which notice shall be given, shall be held in the month of November in each year.
Alterations in any of the Rules or Regulations or Policy of the Club shall only be made at the Annual General Meeting.
Any Member of the Club wishing to propose any alteration or addition to the above shall forward to the Honorary Secretary a notice in writing setting forth in detail the proposed alteration or addition at least twenty-eight days before the Annual General Meeting. A copy of any such resolution, with an Agenda Paper, shall be sent to every Member of the Club not less than fourteen days before such Meeting. The Member wishing to propose any alteration or addition shall move such proposed alteration or addition at that Meeting, when, if seconded, a vote shall be taken thereon.
To effect the proposed alteration the number voting for it must be at least double the number opposing it, any smaller number being a negative.
No Member of the Club, having given a notice of motion, shall be allowed to withdraw it except by leave of the Meeting.
At a General Meeting of the Club, fifteen Members shall form a quorum. Members are allowed to vote by proxy.
The Senior Flag-Officer present shall take the chair at all General and Committee Meetings of the Club, and in the event of no Flag-Officer being present it shall be imperative upon any Member to take the chair who may be elected thereto.
In case of an equality of votes upon any question, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote, in addition to his own vote as a member.

9. Special Meeting. Upon authority being given by the Committee, or by a requisition made and signed by at least ten members, or five Owner-Members in respect of Design or Building, stating the subject intended to be discussed, the Hon. Secretary shall call a Special Meeting of the Club, not later than twenty-one days after the receipt of the requisition, and at least seven days or fourteen in respect of Punt design or building, before the date of the meeting which is to discuss the subject of the requisition.
At this meeting twenty members shall form a quorum, except when Design or Building are in question, when ten Owner-Members shall form a quorum. The majority necessary to carry a resolution in Special General Meeting shall be at least two to one or a simple majority in respect of Design or Building. A majority of those present may demand a postal ballot, whereupon such Special Meeting shall stand adjourned for twenty-one days and the Hon. Secretary shall within ten days despatch to every Member a ballot paper containing a copy of the resolution with such information as shall be considered desirable, such ballot paper to be returned not later than the evening of the eighteenth day after the original date of the Special Meeting. On a postal ballot a majority of two to one shall be required. Any resolution so carried immediately becomes operative.

10. Subscriptions.
a) The Annual Subscription shall be as published in the annual Club Handbook, under the following categories:-
Under 18 Members, Student members, Country members, Overseas members, Single Members, Husband & Wife / partner, Husband & Wife/partner & their children who are Under 18 Members.

For the purpose only of this Rule-
i) An "Under 18 Member" shall be defined as a person who is aged not more than 18 years on the 1st March.
ii) A "Student member" is a family member over 18 but under 21 on March 1st in full time education.
iii) A "Country Member" shall be defined as a person who lives outside Norfolk and who does not normally keep a boat within a radius of two miles of the Club premises at Barton Broad.
iv) An "Overseas member" is defined as a person who lives outside of the UK for the whole year and who would not expect to use the club facilities during that time. Any Member who intends to be out of the UK for the whole of the season shall be entitled to retain his membership by registering as an Overseas member and paying a subscription of £10 for that year before the 1st. May.

Subscriptions shall be paid to the Hon. Treasurer on election and on 1st March each successive year, but, in the case of members elected after 29th September, the subscription then paid shall cover the year of election and the succeeding year.

b) The Entrance Fee shall be the equivalent to one year's subscription for that category of membership.
c) The list of Members in the Club Handbook shall show separately Full Members, (including Under 21 Members who are not Junior members), Country Members, Junior members (for purposes of Junior races), and Affiliated Clubs.
d) No Members shall be qualified to take part in any matter connected with or be entitled to any of the privileges of the Club until his subscription and all moneys due to the Club have been paid. No member shall be entitled to receive notification that his subscription has not been paid. If any Member's subscription shall remain unpaid for six months the Committee may require that Member as a condition of continuing his membership to pay his subscription and all moneys due to the Club forthwith, and to sign a Bank Standing Order form for future subscriptions and the Committee may determine the period within which such payment and signature shall be made. The Membership Secretary shall notify such Member accordingly. If such member shall fail to comply with the conditions aforesaid the Committee may strike his name off the books. His membership shall thereupon cease and he be reinstated only at the discretion of the Committee and on payment of all arrears.
e) Any Member desirous of resigning from the Club shall give notice in writing to the Membership Secretary on or before 1st of March in each year, otherwise he shall be liable for the subscription for the next year following, and shall pay all arrears due up to the time of such notice.

11. Application for Membership. Candidates for membership must:-
i) be proposed and seconded by Members of the Club, one of whom shall have been a Member for not less than two years, and
ii) be introduced either to a Flag Officer or to two Members of the Committee who will speak or write as to the candidate at the Committee Meeting at which the proposal is submitted.
The proposal, which must state the full given names and Surname, address, profession, occupation or status of the candidate, must be forwarded to the Membership Secretary who shall submit the proposal to the next meeting of the Committee. Candidates whose names have been submitted may be elected by ballot by the Committee by at least a three to one majority of those present.

12. Members. On election and payment of his subscription a member shall be entitled to all privileges and amenities of the Club and to fly the Club burgee, but he shall not be eligible to vote on maters relating to the building and design of the Class unless he is also an Owner-Member.

Owner-Members. An "Owner-Member" means a Member who is the Owner or Part-owner of a Punt which conforms to Class Rules.
(The Honorary Punt Secretary must be informed of any change of ownership within seven days of the transfer).

Should an Owner-Member cease to own such a Punt, but intend to replace it and give notice in writing to the Committee of his intention to do so, the Committee is empowered to permit his name to remain on the list of Owner-Members for such a period as may be considered reasonable.

There shall be an Ordinary Meeting of Owner-Members in each calendar year. Owners of Punts conforming to class rules, who are not Members of the Club, shall, subject to payment of an annual subscription on 1st March of £2.00 to the Club, be entitled to attend and vote at meetings of Owner-Members.

The Owners present at such a meeting shall elect an Owner Meeting Chairman, Honorary Punt Secretary and Punt Measurer to take office from 1st January next following for one year. The Honorary Punt Secretary, or, if none, the Honorary Secretary, shall convene Ordinary Meetings of Owner-Members by giving not less than fourteen days notice to each Punt Owner on the Club register, and shall convene Special Meetings of Owner-Members in the same manner as provided by Rule 9 relating to Special Meetings of the Club, except that a requisition need be made and signed by five Punt Owners.

No proposal shall be deemed to have been passed at a meeting of Owner-Members unless a simple majority of those present and voting have voted in favour of it. The details of any resolution carried shall be communicated by the Honorary Punt Secretary to the Honorary Secretary, who shall inform the Owner-Members of the Committee within seven days. Such Owner-Members may by a majority vote and within one calendar month of the Honorary Secretary being informed, call upon the Honorary Punt secretary to arrange a postal vote of all Owners in accordance with Rule 9. Alterations or additions to class rules for Punts or to any rule relating to the building and design of Punts may be proposed only at meetings of Owner-Members. No vote on any proposal for such alterations or additions shall be taken unless full details of such proposal shall have been notified to Punt Owners with the notice convening the meeting.

Owner-Members and Owner of Punts who have paid the subscription aforesaid shall be entitled to have their Punts measured by the Official Measurer. The Owners of all Punts conforming to class rules shall be entitled to have their Punts entered on the Club Register.

Junior Members. A "Junior Member" shall be defined as a Member who is under the age of 18 years on the 1st March. Junior Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Club and to compete in Junior Races but may not speak or vote at General Meetings. They must be under the care of an adult whenever they are sailing in Club Regattas or from the Club premises on Barton Broad unless they have been passed out as capable hands by the Sailing Committee.

Honorary Life Members. The Committee may propose to the Annual General Meeting that any Member shall be made an Honorary Life Member as a distinction, and the Annual General Meeting shall decide whether or not to confer such membership.

13. Affiliated Clubs. a) Any other Sailing Club or like Association may become affiliated to the Club on such conditions as shall be approved at an Annual General Meeting.
b) If any such Club or Association shall apply for affiliation before the end of August in any year the Committee shall have power to accept such Club or Association as an affiliated member on such conditions as the Committee, in their absolute discretion, shall think fit but only until the then next Annual General Meeting when the application shall be rejected or confirmed with such variation of conditions as then desired.

14. Conduct of Members. a) Should the conduct of any member in the opinion of the Committee be injurious to the character and interests of the Club, or should any Member persistently refuse to conform to any rule or regulation which may from time to time be made, the Committee may by letter request such Member to resign, within a time, not being less than twenty-one days, specified in such letter, and in default of such resignation, the Committee shall consider the question of his expulsion at a Committee meeting held not less that one week or more than two calendar months after the time specified in such letter.
The Member whose expulsion is under consideration shall be given not less than seven days' notice of such meeting, and shall be allowed to offer at such meeting an explanation orally or in writing before the resolution for his expulsion is put to the vote.
The vote on such resolution shall be taken by ballot if five members of the Committee present so require.
No resolution shall be valid unless carried by a two to one majority of those present and voting.
b) No appeal shall lie from the decision of the Committee whose discretion and decision shall be absolute and final, nor shall the Committee be bound to give any reason for their decision. Should a Member be expelled he shall on no account be eligible for re-election, or have any interest in the property of the Club.
c)A letter or notice sent by post, addressed to a Member and sent to his last known place of address, shall be sufficient letter or notice for the purpose of this Rule.

15. Club Burgee. The Burgee of the Club shall have the Club monogram in yellow on a blue background.

16.(i) Insurance All craft making use of the Club's facilities shall be required to be insured to a minimum third party indemnity limit of £1m.
(ii) Members may bring guests or visitors onto the club premises for a maximum of four times during one season, but are required to sign for them in the visitors book that is held within the tea hut.
(iii) Members of the Club, their guests or visitors shall use the facilities of the Club entirely at their own risk, and shall therefore accept that the Club will not be liable for any damage to or loss of property belonging to members, their guests or visitors.
iv) The Club will not accept any liability for personal injury arising out of use of the Club premises or any other facilities of the Club either sustained by members, their guests or visitors, or caused by the said members, guests or visitors whether or not such damage or injury could have been attributed to or was occasioned by the neglect default or negligence of any of them, the Officers, Committee or servants of the Club.

THE CLUB HOUSEBOAT

This will be moored during the season on Barton Broad. On Sundays, May to September inclusive, light teas will be available on the Houseboat at a charge: profits will go to the Club Funds.

Sailing instructions and notices will be posted on the Notice Board during the season.

NORFOLK PUNTS

Rules for building and design of new punts may be obtained on application to the Punt Class Association Secretary.