Section 1. There will be the following classes of membership in the club: Charter, Regular, Junior, Transient, Honorary, Life and Non-Resident. No person will be denied membership because of race, color, creed, sex or national origin.

Section II. The classes of membership will be and are hereby defined as follows:

(a) Charter members will be those individuals or families including husband, wife and unmarried children at least 18 and under 21 years of age who paid the initiation fee levied before August 31, 1970. Any charter member may become inactive upon notice to the club.

(b) Regular members will be those individuals or families including husband, wife and unmarried children at least 18 and under 21 years of age who have paid the prevailing initiation fee and dues after August 31, 1970.

(c) Transient members will be limited to military personnel, students or nonresidents in the area in a transient status. This membership is limited in duration to a period of not less than ninety days and not more than one year.

(d) Honorary members will be those individuals recognized by the club as friends of the Wichita Falls Sailing Club. They will be voted into the club by a majority of the voting membership for a period of one year.

(e) Life members will be those individuals recognized by the club as rendering exceptional aid to the Wichita Falls Sailing Club and will be so rewarded with lifetime paid club dues. They will be voted into the club by a majority of the membership.

(f) Junior members will be those members below the age of eighteen years. This membership ceases when the individual reaches his eighteenth birthday.

(g) Non-Resident members shall be those individuals or families including husband, wife and unmarried children at least 18 and under 21 years of age who reside 60 miles or more outside of Wichita Falls, TX.

Section III. Admission of Members. Applications for membership in the club will be made in writing stating the name and address of the applicant and the class of membership desired. All applications for membership will be filed with the Secretary who will deliver them to the Commodore. The Commodore will then bring the prospective members' names before the next regular Board of Directors Meeting for the purpose of approving or rejecting such applicants. The names of those approved by the Board will be posted in the club bulletin and/or posted on the club bulletin board for a period of not less than two weeks. If no written objection is filed with the Secretary by any member, it will be the duty of the Commodore to declare and admit such applicant(s) as a member. In the event a written objection is filed with the Secretary, the objection will be passed on to the board, who will give the member filing same an opportunity to be heard. The Board of Directors will then determine whether or not the applicant will be admitted to membership. Any inactive charter members wishing to return to active status must meet the same requirements as that of a new regular member except for the payment of the initiation fee. All new members will be admitted for a three-month probationary period. During that time, the new members will be required to meet at least once with a "rules review" committee appointed by the Commodore.

Section IV. Voting Rights. Charter members, Regular members, Life members and NonResident members, provided that all such members are in good standing, will be classified as voting members and as such will be eligible to vote at all club meetings. No other class membership will have the right to vote.

Section V. Membership Extension. If a Charter, Regular or Non-Resident member is in good standing at the time of his or her death, the membership will survive the death of the member and will be transferred to the spouse of the deceased member, provided yearly dues are paid by said spouse.

Section VI. Club privileges. Boat storage facilities will be afforded to all Charter, Life, Regular and Junior members at the prevailing fee charged by the club. Transient members will be provided these privileges on a space-available basis only. Section VII. Family Privileges. The following are entitled to the use of the club facilities as members and to sponsor guests: All classes of membership, his or her spouse, and his or her unmarried sons and daughters under 18 years of age.

Section VIII. Guest Privileges. Each member will be responsible for the conduct and indebtedness of all guests admitted to the club property at the request of such member. The Board of Directors will prescribe such rules as it deems appropriate, restricting the use of the club by guests, and which will reflect the club policy limiting and discouraging:

(1) Frequent or regular use of the club by nonresidents as guests of members except in connection with boating activities, and

(2) The use of the club by guests of the club members in the absence of their member hosts.

Section IX. Abandoned Boats. (Amended Dec 2005) A boat (with or without trailer) of a person who is no longer a dues paying member (“Defaulted Member”) and which has remained unattended on the Club premises for six (6) months shall be deemed legally abandoned (“Abandoned Boat and/or Trailer”.) One month after written notice sent by the Commodore to the last known address of the Defaulted Member, if the Abandoned Boat and/or Trailer is not removed from the Club premises, it shall be deemed forfeited to the Club (“Forfeited Boat and/or Trailer”) and shall be subject to possession and/or disposal at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors. Notice may be sent by certified mail, facsimile transmission or express delivery and shall be deemed effective upon posting or delivery to the carrier. Each owner of a Forfeited Boat and/or Trailer shall be obligated on demand to execute and deliver to the Club a proper transfer of title and /or license to the Forfeited Boat and/or Trailer. A true copy of the Notice of Abandoned Boat and/or Trailer and proof of sending shall be conclusive evidence of the right of the Club to acquire title to the Abandoned Boat and/or Trailer.

Section I. All membership applications must be accompanied by the appropriate initiation fee and three (3) months dues in advance in order to be considered for membership.

Section II. Initiation Fees. (Revised July 1, 1993)

(a) The initiation fee of a Regular member will be $100.00. The initiation fee of a Transient member will be one-half the Regular member initiation fee.

(b) No initiation fee will be required for Honorary, Life, Junior, or Non-Resident members.

Section III. Membership Dues. (Revised July 1, 1993)

(a) Honorary and Life members will not pay dues.

(b) Charter, Regular, and Transient members will pay $360 annual dues. Ninety dollars may be paid quarterly, due by the end of the first month of each quarter, or the full amount may be paid in full no later than June 30 of each year.

(c) Junior members will pay $60 annual dues, which must be paid no later than June 30 of each year.

(d) Non-Resident members shall pay one-half of the scheduled dues for Regular members.

Section IV. Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will have the full power and authority to change and revise the foregoing schedule of fees and dues, and to fix fees applicable to each class of membership.

Section V. Special Assessments. The Board of Directors may from time to time, as it is necessary in the best interests of the operation of the club, levy upon the members special assessments for the operating funds of the club. The club membership will have the power to levy assessments in such manner and such amount upon the members as it may deem proper at any regular or special meeting of the members.

Section VI. Limiting Indebtedness. The Board of Directors will have the power to limit the indebtedness permitted to be incurred by any member of the club.

Section VII. All debts (including dues) owed to the club will be payable immediately upon receipt of the club bill. If all indebtedness is not paid by the 20th day following the day the bills are mailed, members shall be posted. If not paid within thirty (30) days thereafter, members will be suspended without further action by the Board of Directors and such members shall not be permitted to enjoy the privileges of the club. If all of said indebtedness is not paid within thirty (30) days of such suspension, the member shall be given notice by the Treasurer that their membership has been forfeited.

Section VIII. No member or former member who stands suspended or whose membership has terminated because of an indebtedness or other obligation due the club shall be permitted upon the club premises either as a visitor or a guest so long as any of the indebtedness to the club remains unpaid.

Section I. The officers of the club shall consist of a Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Secretary and Treasurer.

Section II. The Commodore shall preside at all meetings of the club and Board of Directors, but shall not vote except in the case of a tie.

Section III. The Vice Commodore shall discharge all duties of the Commodore during his absence or inability to act, and discharge any other duties assigned by the Commodore.

Section IV. The Rear Commodore shall discharge all of the duties of the Commodore during the absence or inability of the Commodore and Vice Commodore to act. He shall be responsible for the program of each membership meeting and any other duties assigned by the Commodore.

Section V. The Secretary shall keep the corporate records of the club, the records of the proceedings of all meetings of the members and of the Board of Directors, and any other duties assigned by the Commodore.

Section VI. The Treasurer shall have custody of all monies and funds belonging to the club, keep and see that proper books and records of accounts are kept, and prepare or cause to be prepared as directed by the Board of Directors a true financial statement reflecting the assets and liabilities of the club and all receipts and disbursements, and shall perform any other duties assigned by the Commodore.

Section VII. All officers of the club shall be elected for one year by a majority vote of ballots cast by the membership of the club. Ballots will be mailed in October to all members having voting privileges. The new officers shall assume their duties on January 1 of the following year.

Section VIII. All vacancies of officers occurring during the calendar year shall be filled by the voting membership at any regular or special meeting.

Section IX. Officers may be elected to succeeding terms.

Section X. Only those members having a Charter, Regular, or Life membership shall be eligible for an office of the club.

Section I. It shall be the duty of the Commodore to create any standing committees he deems necessary and name the Chairman of each.

Section I.
(a) The affairs of the club shall be conducted by the Board of Directors, consisting of the Commodore, Past Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Secretary, Treasurer and Harbor Master.

(b) The membership of the Board of Directors may be expanded to include a director-at-large, elected by the membership of the club, when the voting membership reaches or exceeds sixty (60) members.

Section II. The Board of Directors shall conduct, manage, and direct the business of the club and shall have control of all its properties; and shall have the power to borrow money in the name of the club necessary for the management and operation of said club and its facilities; provided, however, that the Board shall have no authority to sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of any real property in which the club has any interest unless and until the Secretary, acting upon instructions from the Board, has obtained the affirmative, written comment of a majority of the entire voting membership of the club, or unless approved by a majority vote of all members present at any regular or special meeting called specifically for the purpose of considering such sale or disposition. Thirty days written notice of the special meeting shall be given to all voting members of the club. No sale or disposition of personal property belonging to the club, or in which the club has any interest of a value more than $50, shall be made by the Board of Directors without the consent of three-fourths of the Board of Directors.

Section III. The Board of Directors shall have the power to remove any member of its committee and to expel any member of the club guilty of any violation of the By-Laws or rules of the club of any offense by a member or his affiliations rendering him. undesirable as a member of the club, whether committed on the club property or not. A copy of the charge preferred against any member shall be delivered to him at least ten (10) days before the meeting at which such charges are to be considered, giving him notice of time and place of the meeting. Any member charged with any aforementioned misconduct shall have the opportunity to be heard in his own defense at that time. In order to expel a member, a three-fourths vote of the entire Board of Directors shall be required.

Section IV. A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of two-thirds of its membership and a majority of those present at any duly organized meeting shall rule except as otherwise specified in these By-Laws. There shall be no vote by Proxy at the Board Meetings.

Section V. It shall be the right of the voting membership of the club to overrule any action taken by the Board of Directors. Such veto must be approved by a voting majority of the voting membership of the club.

Section I. All buildings, lockers, docks, slips, or any other such structures constructed on Club property shall automatically become the property of the club.

Section II. The Board of Directors shall have the right to enter into written agreement with any member of the club to construct permanent structures on club property in exchange for exclusive rights and use of that structure by the member for a predetermined period of time.

Section I. The club shall operate in a calendar year basis.

Section II. The club shall hold a regular annual meeting for the purpose of electing the officers and Board of Directors and for the transaction of any other business as may come before such meetings. This annual meeting is to be held on the second Thursday of November or at such time and place as the Board of Directors may designate.

Section III. Special meetings of the club may by called either by the Commodore, the Board of Directors, or upon request of five voting members of the club. A simple majority of those voting members at any duly organized meeting shall rule on such general business as may come before such meeting; except as provided for otherwise in these By-Laws.

Section IV. Meetings scheduled for the purpose of education, training and social recreation of the members will not constitute an official meeting of the club and no business shall be transacted at such time.

Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended and/ or altered in whole or in part by a two-thirds vote of members provided that the voting membership of the club has been notified at least twenty-five days in advance as to the proposed amendments.

Section 1. Proxies specifying the question for which said proxy was given and the vote to be made thereon and written ballots for the election of officers may be presented and counted at any regular or special meeting, or at any Board of Directors meeting, provided same are in writing and are signed by a voting member.

Spending the night inside the Clubhouse, except in an emergency such as bad weather, for personal safety, or during Board-approved functions, is strictly prohibited. Otherwise, all members and their guests may use the facilities of the Clubhouse at any time. Access can be gained using the same key that unlocks the front gate.

The member inside of the Clubhouse who is the last to leave should check the following items:

1) All lights are off.
2) All windows are closed.
3) During winter months, ensure that the thermostat is ON and set at 50 degrees.
4) During summer months, the air conditioners are off (including the one in the kitchen).
5) Any dishes used are cleaned and put away.
6) No animals have been left inside.
7) The outside doors are secured and locked, including the kitchen door.

If a member is planning to host 12 or more guests at a time, the Commodore or House Chairman must be contacted to assure that the time and date will not interfere with a previously scheduled function. The Clubhouse is available for private use Monday through Thursday. Weekends (Friday through Saturday), March through October, cannot be scheduled for private use. A $25 fee will be charged of the Clubhouse is reserved and used substantially. Other such parties on the grounds that use the Clubhouse only incidentally will not be charged. Please be sure to clean up after your party.

The Club’s boat trailer can be rented at the rate of $2 per day for the first week, $3 per day for the second week and $4 per day thereafter. The trailer is intended primarily for use on club grounds. In those instances when it is to be used to transport a boat on the highway, it will be the user’s responsibility to determine that the trailer is roadworthy, and necessary maintenance will be reimbursed by the Club. The user further accepts that any liability for damages incurred will be covered under his/her personal auto liability insurance. The hoist can be used for maintenance of boats at a rate of $3 per day for the first week and $5 per day thereafter.

Any member wanting to use the trailer or hoist should contact the Harbor Master. The Harbor Master can also provide instructions for use.

A daily use fee is charged for certain of the Club’s facilities: boat trailer, boat hoist, slips, RV camping. Since the Club facility is not regularly attended, the HONOR SYSTEM is used to record charges due. When facilities are used that require payment of fees, the member is to complete the Short-Term Use form, available at the Clubhouse, and deposited in the “Night Directory”. The treasurer will bill the charges with the rest of the quarterly billing.

Camping overnight on your boat or in tents by members and guests anywhere on the Club grounds is permitted and encouraged at no charge, for up to one week at a time. Please be considerate of others and do not block the mast hoist, ramp, pavilion,roads or Clubhouse. It is suggested thatthe area immediately northwest of the Clubhouse be avoided, as a malfunction or overuse of the Clubhouse plumbing can cause the septic tank to overflow. The septic tank is located just outside the kitchen door. Please DO NOT drive over this area.

Camping in RVs is permitted, but RV parking will require some discretion so as not to block traffic or higher-use areas, damage grassy areas, or interfere with any boat launching or sailing activities. If it has wheels, it is considered an RV. RV users can contact a board member for further direction, if needed. IF a RV is hooked up to electricity, there is a $4 per day fee, again with a maximum of one week. RVs on the Club grounds must be occupied.

RVs are confined to one area on the grounds: from the large red ball to mesquite tree/telephone pole at northeast corner of Clubhouse and along the logs towards the boat hoist, parking perpendicular to the logs. RVs parked in any other area will be asked to move. Do not park behind the building, due to potential collapse of the septic system and interference with Flying Scot users. Please avoid the boat hoist, especially when someone is using it.

The slips are rented on a first-come/first-serve basis for $30 per month. Vacant slips can be rented on a daily basis for a fee of $3 per day.

Renters must be members in good standing, must own a sailboat, and may rent a slip long-term only for his/her boat. Exceptions can be made in special cases by the Harbor Master. To rent a slip, owner must have access to a trailer, in case the boat needs to be removed to dry storage for whatever reason deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.

Slips are assigned based on the requirements of the boat (beam, length, draft) and use of the boat. Those boats not used on a regular basis will be assigned to the least desirable slips. As long as the boat is in regular use, it will not be displaced to make room for another boat.

Assignment of slips will be made by the Harbor Master. The Harbor Master may require a boat to be reassigned to a different slip, or removed from the slips, for good reason. If the owner disagrees with his assignment, he may appeal to the Board of Directors.

A key to WFSC property must NEVER BE LOANED to anyone.

Each member in good standing will be issued one key. If a special circumstance exists that requires a second key, the member should direct the request to the Board. Keys have been modified to make them difficult to duplicate. No attempt to duplicate any WFSC key should ever be made. Keys must be returned to an officer of the Club upon termination of membership or upon declaration of inactive status for Charter Members.

The front gate should be locked BOTH UPON ENTERING AND LEAVING the premises to assist in providing security to Club and personal property if only a few members are on the property. Gate s should be locked if on one will be on the property, i.e., out sailing.

Although family use of the Club is encouraged, small children should not be left unsupervised.

Dogs and other pets must be restrained on a leash while on Club property. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CLUBHOUSE. If dogs are brought on the Club property, the owner should keep in mind that sailors dry and fold sails on the lawn. Pet owners are responsible for any “nature calls” left by their pets.

Members can be fined $25 for failing to honor pet restraint laws.

Each member is responsible for the conduct of his/her guests. Guests are permitted on the premises ONLY when the sponsoring member is present. Under no circumstances should a member loan his/her key to a guest to go to the Club before or without the sponsoring member being present.

The Club is not responsible for any personal property left on the premises. A member may not use another member’s property without permission.

Powerboat and RV storage on WFSC property is not permitted. Waivers can be approved by the WFSC Board or Harbor Master for craft that are used for race committee, club maintenance, etc.

Since WFSC is a sailing club, power boat use at the Club is discouraged.

Basic etiquette should be practiced at all times. No one should board another person’s boat without requesting and obtaining permission to do so. If a boat owner is not present and a situation involving safely or danger of property damage, i.e. frayed dock lines in a strong wind observed by a fellow member, the owner or the Harbor Master should be notified immediately. If time is critical in the situation, it should be dealt with in the most expeditious manner and the owner notified later. Remember, personal safely is infinitely more important than preventing property damage.

Misconduct, obscene references, immoral or obnoxious activity, and abusive language will not be tolerated on the premises or at Club functions. Remember that the Constitution also includes behavior at locations other than on Club property that would reflect badly upon the Club as grounds for disciplinary action by the Board of Directors.

The liquor, drug and gambling laws of the State of Texas will be observed at all times.

It is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to conduct the business of the Club, including the implementation and enforcement of these rules. Penalties may be imposed at the discretion of the Board for infractions by members or their guests, up to and including expulsion of a member from the Club. Procedures for expulsion are detailed in eh Constitution and By-Laws.