The International 505 Class Rules are maintained on the International Class Website. The international 505 Class Rules consist of the Class Constitution, Measurement Rules and Diagrams, and Championship Rules.

In addition to the International 505 Class Rules, the American Section has enacted the following Supplemental Rules. Together, the International 505 Class Rules and the Supplemental Rules govern all American Section activities.

Name

  1. The name of the section shall be  “The International 505 Class, American Section”.  It will be referred to as the “American Section” throughout the rest of these rules.

Goals

  1. To promote and develop the International 505 Class in the USA under uniform rules.
  2. To create and maintain friendship among its members.
  3. To inform its members of developments in design and technique.
  4. To organize and promote the North American Championship, East Coast Championship, Great Lakes Championship, and Pacific Coast Championship.
  5. To keep in touch with the International 505 Class Association and other National Sections.

Membership

  1. The different types of membership shall be:  Full Member, Associate Member, and Honorary Member.
  2. An active Full Member shall be an owner or part owner of a registered 505.  Privileges are to hold office, to vote (with a limit of one vote per boat), to participate in championships organized by the American Section, and to receive class communications.  The National Executive Committee will determine the dues for Full Members, which may include differences for junior and family members.
  3. An Associate Member shall be a non-boat owner who is interested in the Class. He or she may act as helmsman or crew in any American Section event and shall be entitled to receive class communications.  Associate Members may hold office, but are not entitled to vote in member ballots.  Membership dues for Associate Members shall be the same as for Full Members.
  4. An Honorary Member may be elected, by resolution of the National Executive Committee, from among those who have actively supported the American Section.  Such Honorary Members shall have the same privileges as an Associate Member, or if a boat owner, as a full member.  Honorary Members shall not be required to pay membership dues.
  5. Notice may be given by any member wishing to resign his membership at any time.  A refund of membership dues (if required by the American Section) for the current year will not be granted.
  6. The National Executive Committee may at any time cancel the membership of any member for cause, subject to the member’s right to appeal to the International Governing Committee.

Regional Organization

  1. For the purpose of event organization and member communication, the American Section shall be divided in Regions, the number and size of which may be varied by the National Executive Committee from time to time depending upon the concentration of members and fleets.
  2. Regional affairs shall be supervised by a committee of the Region’s Fleet Captains headed by a Regional Coordinator whom the Captains shall elect annually.
  3. The responsibilities of each Regional Coordinator are outlined in the section regarding “National Officers”.
  4. Regional Measurers may be either the Regional Coordinators or appointed by them.  They shall serve for one year but may be reappointed.  Regional Coordinators shall ensure that the Secretary and National Measurer are informed of the identities of all official Regional Measurers.

The Fleet

  1. The formation and charter of a Fleet shall be according to the International 505 Class Association Constitution.
  2. The Fleet shall be self governing in local matters not conflicting with National or International Rules.
  3. Fleets shall be numbered in order of their formation and also with a geographic or Yacht Club designation. Example: Fleet 5 — Palo Alto, CA.
  4. The Full Members of the fleet shall hold a meeting at least once a year at which they shall elect a Fleet Captain, and any other officers as deemed necessary. Notification of the meeting shall be sent to all fleet members not less than 14 days prior to the meeting.

National Officers

  1. The national officers shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Information Officer, Chief Measurer, and Regional Coordinators.
  2. The primary responsibility of the National Officers is to ensure that the goals outlined in these rules are being achieved.
  3. The President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Information Officer, and Chief Measurer shall be elected every two years at the Annual General Meeting, with the election of the Vice-President, Chief Measurer, and Secretary-Treasurer alternating with the President and Information Officer.
  4. The National Executive Committee may appoint a member to fill a casual vacancy until a new officer is elected by the above procedure.
  5. Regional Coordinators are elected annually by the fleet captains within the specific region.  Please see the section on Region Organization for more information.
  6. The Chief Measurer shall be the official measurer for the American Section.  He or she may call upon the Regional Measurers for help with the measurement, especially for organizing and running measurement at an event.

President Responsibilities

  1. organize, run, and participate in all votes
  2. focus on class promotion and growth (assisting regional coordinators)
  3. send semi-annual report to all members providing updates on recent work

Vice President Responsibilities

  1. assist the president in all matters
  2. create agenda for AGM
  3. send notice of AGM 14 days prior to the meeting
  4. oversee the organization of all American Section Championships
  5. collect nominations for the American Section Awards

Secretary-Treasurer Responsibilities

  1. record minutes of AGM
  2. collect membership dues
  3. provide financial report at AGM

Information Officer Responsibilities

  1. facilitate American Section communications

National Measurer Responsibilities

  1. ensure the uniform application of the International Rules
  2. maintenance of measurement templates and accurate scales
  3. oversee measurement at the North American Championship
  4. train Regional Measurers

Regional Coordinator Responsibilities

  1. build interest in the 505 within the region
  2. maintain close contact with the other National Officers and neighboring regions
  3. keep members within the region updated on American Section activities
  4. ensure membership dues are paid within the region
  5. coordinate events so as to produce a cohesive regional schedule
  6. select suitable sites for Regional Championships
  7. encourage members within the region to participate in class events
  8. appoint a Regional Measurer to ensure that International 505 Class Rules are rigidly and uniformly enforced throughout the Region
  9. send semi-annual report to President providing update on regional activities

National Executive Committee

  1. The week-to-week running of the American Section’s affairs shall be conducted by the National Executive Committee consisting of the National Officers.
  2. The Nation Executive Committee shall report annually to the American Section at the Annual General Meeting on all actions undertook and decisions made.
  3. The powers of the American Section shall be vested in the Nation Executive Committee except that changes in the American Section Supplementary Rules and their appendices may only be made in accordance with Section on “Amendments to these Rules”.
  4. Decisions shall be made by simple majority with 50% of the National Executive Committee making a quorum, although the President must be present.
  5. The powers of the American Section shall be vested in the National Executive Committee except that changes in the American Section Supplementary Rules and their appendices may only be made in accordance with Section on “Amendments to these Rules”.
  6. Decisions shall be made by simple majority with 50% of the National Executive Committee making a quorum, although the President must be present.

Annual General Meeting

  1. The Annual General Meeting of the American Section shall be held at the time and place of the North American Championships.
  2. The Vice President shall send written notice of the meeting together with the agenda to all members, not less than two weeks before the meeting.
  3.  Owners unable to attend may vote by proxies who themselves shall be Full Members of the American Section. The proxy shall vote only in accordance with expressed written and signed request of the member.
  4. All votes shall be decided by simple majority.
  5. It is the intention to avoid modification of the International Rules as far as possible. Any successful resolution to alter such rules shall be passed on to the International Governing Committee for action under Rules 12 and 13 of the International Constitution.
  6. Annual dues shall be set by the Annual General Meeting upon the recommendation of the National Executive Committee after being posted in the written agenda prior to the meeting.

Amendments to the Rules

  1. Amendments to these rules shall be decided by a ballot (postal, electronic, ect) available to all Full Members.
  2. Amendments may be proposed by any American Section Member at an Annual General Meeting, with an accompanying majority vote needed to validate the proposal
  3. Temporary alterations to the Appendices to these Rules, dealing with the conduct of the American Section Championships or Measurement Procedures may be made by a majority vote of the National Executive Committee providing that written notice containing the full text of the proposed amendment is sent to all members. Such temporary changes must be ratified at the subsequent Annual General Meeting before being permanently incorporated.

American Section Championships

  1. The American Section Championships shall consist of the North American Championship, East Coast Championship, Great Lakes Championship, and Pacific Coast Championship.
  2. All hulls participating in a championship must be registered by name and number and have a valid International Measurement Certificate.
  3. Measurement (following the procedures outlined in these rule) of each boat is required at the North American Championship, and measurement is recommended at the East Coast Championship, Great Lakes Championship, and Pacific Coast Championship.
  4. Measurement shall be performed by the region hosting the championship.  This means that members of the region shall volunteer to help the National and Regional Measurer as outlined in the measurement procedures.
  5. The venue for the North American Championship shall be decided by a vote at the AGM two years before the championship is to occur.  The venue and date of all other American Section Championships shall be determined by the National Executive Committee.  It is suggested that the venues rotate around giving different fleets and venues the opportunity to host a Championship.
  6. Proposals to host the North American Championship shall be sent out with the AGM agenda two weeks prior to the meeting.
  7. Number of Races: The North American Championship shall schedule at least six races with at least one throw-out if all scheduled races are completed.  For all other American Section Championships at least five races shall be scheduled with at least one throw-out if all scheduled races are completed. Only one race is needed to award a Championship.

Measurement

General

  1. Measurement Forms, templates, and scales shall be obtainable from the National Measurer.
  2. Hulls will be officially measured only by appointment with a Regional Measurer at a time and place convenient to both parties. This may be at a regatta if facilities exist.  Hulls must be dry for a minimum of 2 weeks before the appointment
  3. A measurement fee shall be payable to the American Section.  This fee shall cover the cost of transporting the templates and scales, as well as any out of pocket expenses of the Regional Measurer and/or National Measurer.
  4. Measurement Forms, when completed, shall be sent to the National Measurer.  If approved, the Measurement Forms will be replaced by a Limited National Certificate entitling the owner to race the boat in American Section competitions until a full International Certificate is issued. The National Measurer shall send the Measurement Form on to the International Measurer who, if satisfied, will issue a full International Measurement Certificate, keeping the Measurement Form on file for Class Reference.

Championship Measurement Procedure

  1. The following represents the suggested procedures for measurement at the North American Championship.  These may be modified as necessary since it might not be feasible to accomplish everything given the time and location.  Additional measurement may also be performed if desired by the Regatta Committee.
  2. A brief measurement form containing measurement procedures for the regatta shall be presented to each boat on arrival to be marked and OK’d by hull, sail and spar measurers at the regatta site before the boat’s registration is accepted.
  3. Hulls
    1. The Regatta Committee may reserve the right to measure any boat, but because boats will not necessarily be measured otherwise except by specific appointment with the Regional Measurer, all boats must have a valid Measurement Certificate.
    2. If the measurement of a boat is challenged by a fellow competitor, but is subsequently found to be correct, the Regatta Committee may charge the challenger a fee for measurement.
    3. Prior to the event, all boats shall be weighed all-up. Spot checks may be made at any time during the regatta.
    4. All boats shall be checked visually for corrector weighs
    5. Hull modifications made by the owner may suggest that further measurement should be performed.
    6. Two man teams, with time slots 10 minutes in length allocated to each boat, are recommended for hull measurement.  This recommendation assumes only the duties of verifying all-up weight and position of corrector weights are being performed.
  4. Spars
    1. At most two sets of spars shall be measured per boat, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
    2. Spars shall be de-rigged and able to be removed from the hull during measurement so that they can be taken to a specified area for measurement.
    3. Measurement lengths should be determined by a pre-marked line to avoid tape-reading errors.
    4. Valid black bands shall be verified.
    5. Two man teams, with time slots 10 min in length allocated to each boat, are recommended for spar measurement.
  5. Sails
    1. At most two suits of sails shall be measured per boat, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
    2. The owner shall clearly mark all sail tacks and sailbags with the sail number before submission to measurement.
    3. A clean floor with marks of masking tape, taken from the International 505 Measurement Rules for main, jib and spinnaker measurement should be laid out in separate areas, and the particular measurement should be written on each piece of marked tape for handy reference.
    4. Four man teams (two for jib and main, two for spinnaker), with time slots 10 min in length allocated to each boat, are recommended for sail measurement.
  6. The owner should not be allowed in the measuring area but should be available for sail folding, consultation, etc. during measurement.

American Section Awards

  1. Awards
    1. The Dennis Surtees Service Award is an annual award to honor 505 sailors who have distinguished themselves by providing outstanding service to the American Section.  For decades, Dennis Surtees optimized 505 sailing in the United States both with his performance and his contributions to the class. Dennis represents everything that was and still is great about the class and it’s leadership.
    2. The Dave Cahn Sportsmanship Award is given each year to the member of the American Section that best demonstrated the Dave Cahn brand of sportsmanship.  Dave was the perfect gentlemen on and off the water.  He raced as hard as he could, but was always within the letter and spirit of the rules.  Tragically, Dave died while racing his 505.
  2. Nominations for an American Section award should be sent to the Vice President at least 14 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.  All nominations must be in writing.  Nominations should adequately describe why the nominee is deserving of the award, and specific examples of the nominee’s service should be cited in the letter.
  3. All nominations will be reviewed and voted on by the National Executive Committee.  Recipients will be announced at the Annual General Meeting.
  4. Recipients of an American Section Award shall keep the trophy in their possession for the period from the award date until the next Annual General Meeting.  The current recipient shall assume responsibility for the award, and shall ensure safe passage for it to the next Annual General Meeting.  The recipient is also responsible for the inscription of their name on the trophy.