Chapter 2: The Club

My only trustworthy ally is my mom Pamela, known as Slick to most people. I trust her not to betray me. That isn’t saying I trust her to always do what’s in my best interests. Mom has her agenda and I have secret agendas I share with no one, not even mom.

“Hey, Commodore. Got a spare minute for me to intrude upon?”

“Sure, Chuck. What’s on your mind?”

“A business proposition right up your alley.”

“Ooh! I like the sound of that already.”

“Calm down bitch-boy, this isn’t a seduction, just business. Since your mom and a few of us call you Commodore already, it occurred to me you should be Commodore of our local yacht club.”

“I would be honored to serve if we had a yacht club. May I assume your proposal is we somehow start one? I’m flattered to be the first approached with the idea. An excellent idea, I think. Tell me all your thoughts and musings, you have my complete attention.”

“Aren’t you assuming a bit much to think you are the first I’ve mentioned it to?”

“My dear Chuck, I’m the biggest gossip on the island. This is the first I’ve heard of a yacht club and I hear everything. This is so crispy new it sparkles.”

“Your intuition my concept is new is correct and it’s true I came to you first with it. A yacht club is something I only thought of last night in a dream. We could quickly become world-famous if we sponsored an international race to circumnavigate our island.”

“That’s a stupendous idea! It could inject a big flow of cash into our repressed economy with a fat dribble falling fairly into our own pockets. It could put us on the map. An island paradise for rich yachtsmen to want to visit. What must we do first?”

“Legally, the first step is incorporation, but solid groundwork needs to be laid before that step is taken. I’ve been researching on the Internet this morning. Here is what I uncovered at Yacht Club, com.”

“I’m on the edge of my seat feeling all tingly with excitement.”

“There’s no question if too many yacht clubs already exist in our area, there’s none. The island’s lee is a safe haven for any Yachtsman in a storm if we put out adequate storm moorings. That’s important.

THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

The articles are important to protect the individual members from personal liability for debts of the club.

The articles define the relationship of the club to the yachting fraternity and contain the information necessary for a secretary of state to approve the application. The articles contain the name of the club, its purpose, the number of proposed officers and directors, the names of members who are incorporators, and other information.

THE CONSTITUTION

NAME-

Usually named after the Area, City, or Body of Water

PURPOSE-

Never state that your Yacht Club was organized to provide an

IWH(inexpensive watering hole)

MEMBERSHIP -

Who is eligible for membership - How to become a member - Kinds of membership

OFFICERS -

Description of the governing body - Terms of office.

ELECTIONS & MEETINGS -

Election procedures - Filling of vacancies - Removal from office.

AMENDMENTS

DISSOLUTION

THE BYLAWS

Bylaws should be flexible and simple.

MEMBERSHIP -

Privileges, responsibilities, special rights, dues.

MEETINGS -

When, Frequency, how called and by whom, special meetings, quorums, etc.

OFFICERS - how elected, their duties. How selected, nomination, and election procedure.

COMMITTEES -

Small Groups formed to solve problems or handle Club related Tasks.

PROCEDURE - for amendments.

Yacht Club Burgee. Designed to be unique and reflect the club.”

“Sounds like you have it all figured out.”

“Not quite. We need a name, a clubhouse, a restaurant, and a bar. Waif’s Beach seems an ideal location to me. We can fit a dinghy dock in between the boulders if we move a few rocks. Create a channel for dinghies between the moorings and the clubhouse dinghy dock.”

“How does Waif’s Beach Yacht Club strike you? And name the bar ‘The Grotto’? How commercially interesting do those sound?”

“Perfect. How about an outline of the island’s perimeter on the burgee? Promotional and easy to match up on a chart.”

“Inside the island shape, a couple of cute girl’s faces with welcoming smiles. Pretty girls are our most abundant asset.”

“What’s our stated mission? Something nobler than attracts tourism.”

“Marking our spot in the world.”

“Needs fine-tuning. Okay for a premise. Who do we recruit as the first and founding members?”

“The only yacht owner on the island is your mom and she has the island’s only yacht. We should see Auntie Gail next.”