(Current class rules appear below. They are expected to be updated for the 2021 season)
Alerion Express 28 Class
Fleet 1
Class Rules
1. Name
The name of the fleet (the “Fleet”) is the Alerion Express 28 Class, Fleet 1.
2. Purpose
The purpose of these Class Rules is to organize racing and social activities among owners of Alerion Express 28 yachts in the San Francisco Bay Area and to preserve the Alerion Express 28’s recreational features, including ease of handling, safety, comfort, and equality of performance while controlling cost of ownership and maximizing participation at Fleet events. These Class Rules will apply to all races in which Alerion Express 28 yachts compete as a one-design class.
3. Membership
3.1 An Active Member shall be a legal owner of an Alerion Express 28 yacht who registers with the Fleet as an Active Member, complies with the Class Rules and whose dues have been paid.
3.2 An Associate Member shall be an individual supporting the Fleet whose dues have been paid.
4. Officers of the Fleet
4.1 The officers of the Fleet shall be the Fleet Captain, the Secretary/Treasurer and the Class Measurer.
4.2 Each officer shall be an Active Member and shall be elected for a term of approximately one year at the Annual Meeting and shall immediately hold office until a successor is elected or appointed. In the event a vacancy occurs in any officer position, the Executive Committee shall appoint an Active Member to the position for the remainder of the term.
4.3 The Fleet Captain is the chief executive officer of the Fleet and presides at meetings, rules on procedures, appoints special committees, and represents the Fleet at meetings and activities.
4.4 The Secretary/Treasurer is responsible for sending notices of meetings, preparing, distributing and maintaining minutes of each meeting, maintaining the Fleet’s bank account and the financial records of the Fleet, ensuring that members’ dues are current, and maintaining an accurate roster of members, including mailing and email addresses, phone numbers, and other relevant data.
4.5 The Fleet Measurer is responsible for measuring boats joining Fleet One and for measuring new sails prior to being put into service.
4.6 The Activities Chair Person is responsible for planning and coordinating all non-racing oriented fleet events.
4.7 The Racing Chair Person is responsible for planning and coordinating all Fleet One racing events and determining the race schedule for the fleet season championship.
5. Executive Committee
The officers, the immediate past Fleet Captain, and one other Active Member shall constitute the Executive Committee which shall manage the affairs of the Fleet between meetings, including interpreting the letter, spirit and intent of the Class Rules. The Executive Committee shall meet at the request of any member thereof. A minimum of three (3) members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for conducting Executive Committee business. The vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall prevail. Meetings of the Executive Committee may be conducted by telephone conference.
6. Meetings
The Fleet shall meet at least once annually, with such meeting to be held at a convenient time in November (the “Annual Meeting”). At the Annual Meeting, officers and members of the Executive Committee shall be elected, dues for each class of membership shall be determined, and other Class business shall be conducted. A special meeting may be called by either the Fleet Captain or by 40% or more of Active Members. Email notice of any meeting, read receipt requested, shall be given by the Secretary to all Members not less than ten days prior to the date of the meeting, and shall include the agenda of matters to be considered at the meeting, and shall provide proxy forms for Active Members unable to attend the meeting.
7. Voting
Each yacht owned by an Active Member is entitled to one vote, which may be cast in person or by written proxy. Fifty percent of the total number of yachts owned by Active Members, represented in person or by written proxy, shall constitute a quorum for conducting Fleet business. The vote of the majority of yachts present or represented by proxy at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall prevail. These voting rules apply to the Annual Meeting and special meetings.
8. Qualification of Yachts for one-design racing:
8.1 Yachts shall be Alerion Express 28 sailboats manufactured by Pearson Composites, Inc. or by U.S. Watercraft. Yachts shall be alike in hull, deck, keel, rudder, spars, standing rigging, weight and weight distribution, sail plan, equipment and interior furnishings. Except as provided in these Class Rules, no alterations or modifications shall be made to the yacht which may improve its speed, handling or maneuverability.
8.2 Nothing in these Class Rules shall prevent modifications of the yacht for cosmetic or convenience purposes, nor apply to the movement of any adjustable equipment on the yacht, such as turnbuckles, engine mounts or mast steps, within the designed range of the intended adjustment.
8.3 Each Active Member is responsible for ensuring his or her yacht is in compliance with the Class Rules. An Active Member may request an interpretation of the Class Rules by the Executive Committee. Interpretations of the Executive Committee shall be: (a) in writing, (b) distributed to all Active Members and (c) binding for purposes of determining compliance.
8.4 Standard factory supplied furnishings and equipment, including, but not limited to, jib roller furler, berth and settee bottom panels, floor boards, head or porta-potty, ice chest/step and cushions shall not be relocated or removed when racing.
8.5 Each owner is responsible for the safety of his yacht and crew and for ensuring compliance with all government regulations. Safety equipment shall at least conform to the regulations prescribed by the applicable Notice of Race and/or Sailing Instructions. In addition, each yacht shall carry an anchor rated by its manufacturer for an Alerion Express with a suitable length of rode.
8.6 The following are required:
8.6.1 The jib shall be roller furling.
8.6.2 The jib shall be self tacking; using either a traveler mounted on the cabin top or the Hoyt Boom.
8.7 The following are permitted;
8.7.1 Electronic instrumentation and communication equipment.
8.7.2 An autopilot, but not if the yacht has more than one person on board.
8.7.3 Cruising and day sailing amenities which do not enhance performance.
8.7.4 Changes to the running rigging.
8.7.5 Modifications of older yachts to match features found as factory standard features or factory options on newer yachts.
8.8 The following are prohibited:
8.8.1 Altering rudder or keel profile, provided that surface fairing shall be allowed.
8.8.2 Use of any sails other than the main and jib described in Rule 9.
8.8.3 Use of hydraulic systems, except that the light air jib boom extender is permitted.
9. Sails
9.1 Mainsail dimensions shall not exceed: Luff-33.0’; Foot-12.5’; Upper 1/4 Girth-4.5’; and Midgirth-7.8’. Four full-length battens shall be fitted so that the center of the batten pockets shall divide the aft edge of the sail into five approximately equal parts. The tack ring shall be affixed in the standard tack fitting and the clew shall not be allowed to float free from the boom, although the foot may otherwise be loose. At least one reef point shall be installed. The luff shall be attached to the mast with slides. The class insignia and hull number or sail number shall be affixed on both sides of the sail. The Mainsail shall be weighed with battens, but without mast slides; the total weight shall not be less than 26 pounds. (Amended 20 Nov 2009)
9.2 The jib shall be operated on the standard rolling furling system. The profile of the leech shall be straight or concave. Battens may be used provided they do not interfere with roller furling when installed. UV protective tape may be applied to the leech to cover the sail when furled. The jib shall not weigh less than 10 pounds including battens. (Amended 20 Nov 2009)
9.3 For woven polyester sails used during Alerion Express one design races, sail purchases shall not exceed one jib every two calendar years and one mainsail every three calendar years. For all other sails used during Alerion Express one design races, sail purchases shall not exceed one jib every three calendar years and one mainsail every four calendar years. These restrictions on frequency of sail purchases do not apply to replacement of any sails purchased prior to November 20, 2009. (Amended 20 Nov 2009)
10. Crew Positions
Unless actively engaged in working the yacht, all persons aboard the yacht must be seated completely in the cockpit, except that the person steering or one other person may sit outside the cockpit coaming but only if that person’s lower legs (below the knee) are inside the cockpit.
11. Driver and Crew Eligibility
The Driver of the yacht is the person who, excepting for momentary absence due to personal or shipboard needs, steers the yacht during the 5 minutes prior to and including the start and the first leg of the course. The Driver shall be the Active Member who owns the yacht, provided that the yacht may participate in up to two (2) races per season without that Active Member being aboard.
Except for the Active Member who owns the yacht, no person aboard the yacht may be a Group 3 competitor (as defined in the ISAF Sailor Classification Code).
12. Season Championship
At the Annual Meeting each year or as soon thereafter as practical, the Executive Committee shall propose and the Fleet shall ratify a schedule of races and the number of excluded scores, if any, which shall determine the Season Championship. Scoring for the Season Championship will be conducted in accordance with the Low Point System of the Racing Rules of Sailing as modified by the YRA.
13. Amendment
An Active Member may propose an amendment to these Class Rules by submitting a written draft to the Fleet Captain. The Secretary shall notify each Active Member by emailing a copy of any proposed amendment to each, read receipt requested, not less than 10 days prior to the Annual or Special meeting at which the proposed amendment will be considered.
14. Enforcement
The Executive Committee shall determine if there has been any violation of these Class Rules and the appropriate penalty to be imposed upon the offending yacht. No member of the Executive Committee shall participate in any proceeding in which his yacht or the yacht on which he crews is being considered.
Notwithstanding the above, enforcement of these Class Rules in respect of a specific one-design race or regatta may be sought by filing a protest with the protest committee for such race or regatta.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF: These amended Class Rules are effective 16 November 2015
Fleet Captain: Kirk Smith
Fleet Measurer: Ralf Morgan
Fleet Secretary: Nancy Pettingill
Fleet Race Chair: Steve Rogers
Fleet Activities Chair: Pat Tostenson
