1.  INTENTION
To provide an International Committee representing all National Wayfarer Class Associations; to define its terms of reference and to lay down the manner in which its business will be conducted.
 
2. DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
2.1  WIC shall mean the WAYFARER International Committee.
2.2 National Class Association (NCA) shall mean any of the respective WAYFARER Class Owners Associations organised on a national or multi-national basis and recognised by the WIC.
2.3 The Class shall mean the class of sailing dinghy known as a WAYFARER, originally designed by Ian Proctor, and as described in the Wayfarer Class Rules.
2.4 The Class Rules shall mean the Rules adopted internationally and relate to measurement, construction and racing conditions of the Class, as well as governing the building of each WAYFARER and its rating as a recognised boat for Class racing purposes.
2.5 The International Secretary shall mean a secretary acting for and nominated by the WIC.
 
3. TERMS OF REFERENCE
The objects of the WIC are:
3.1(a) To maintain the One-Design character of the WAYFARER dinghy and preserve the concept of Ian Proctor's original design as a simple, multi-purpose craft, suitable for cruising as well as racing.
(b) To further the interests of the WAYFARER Class throughout the World; to assist and advise on the formation of new NCA’s and to approve the Association Rules of prospective NCA’s.
3.2 To recommend to the NCA’s such amendments to their current National Class Rules as will provide a common code constituting the Class Rules.
Thereafter:
(a) To advise the NCA’s of the interpretation of the Class Rules.
(b) To consider any proposals for amending or adding to the Class Rules as received from NCA’s.
3.3 To promulgate to all NCA’s the Class Rules, together with all properly approved amendments, additions, and interpretations.
3.4 To explore the possibility of organising International events and make recommendations to the NCA’s on how this may best be accomplished.
3.5 To make such amendments to the Constitution of the WIC as may from time to time be carried by weight of motion in the WIC as hereinafter provided.
3.6 To publish updated versions of the Class Rules on the WIC Website and circulate these to the NCA's.
3.7  To approve the Association Rules of prospective NCA’s.
 
4. COMPOSITION OF THE WIC
4.1 The WIC shall comprise of two representatives of each NCA, together with such co-opted members as agreed by the WIC reps. A representative of Ian Proctor Designs Ltd, of the Copyright Holder, and of any licensed Wayfarer builder shall be invited to be part of the WIC as Honorary Members.
4.2 The WIC shall have power to co-opt any person who is not a full member of an NCA, but such person shall have no vote in the WIC.
 
5. SECRETARIAT
5.1 The Secretariat of the WIC shall comprise the International Secretary, who will also act as Chairman, and such other persons as may be nominated by the WIC.
5.2 The function of the Secretariat shall be to initiate, organise and process the work of the WIC.
5.3 The Secretariat shall be financed as provided under Article 8 hereof. The International Secretary shall be appointed for a period of three years, and whenever possible, a new International Secretary shall be appointed from a different NCA on a rotational basis.

 
6. VOTING RIGHTS
6.1 Only the NCA's shall have voting rights, and this only while their WIC dues are not in arrears. Each such NCA shall have voting rights according to the number of paid-up members existing at 1st Sept of each year, on the following basis:-
        10 - 50 members                           1 vote
        51 - 250 members                         2 votes
        251 - 500 members                       3 votes
       with one extra vote per 500 additional members. (See Appendix 2)
6.2 No representative of Ian Proctor Designs Ltd or the Copyright Holder shall have any vote.
6.3 A motion shall be carried when it receives at least two thirds of the total votes cast under the WIC voting procedure.  
6.4 Voting shall take place by e-mail or postal ballot except where a Committee Meeting is held at which all persons having voting rights, or their nominees, are present.
 
7. MANAGEMENT
7.1 The International Secretary shall be informed of any changes in representation on the WIC, immediately when such changes are made by any NCA. Details of nominations to the WIC shall include the full contact information to which correspondence is to be sent.
7.2 The business of the WIC shall be conducted by e-mail, and shall be directly addressed to the International Secretary, or copied to him or her.
7.3  Any proposal for a change in the Class Rules or the WIC Constitution shall be submitted by its sponsor(s) to all members of the WIC for the purpose of soliciting input and/or suggested amendments to the proposal.  Having allowed six weeks for the consultative process to be completed, the sponsoring party must submit a final version of the proposal to the WIC Secretary by 15th October, if it is to be eligible for the following year's voting and implementation.  (See Appendix 1)
7.4 The WIC Secretary shall send any proposal thus received to the WIC representatives of each NCA by 1st November, (or 15 days after receiving any such proposals).
7.5 It shall be the sole responsibility of each NCA to ensure that its representative consults with its membership and acts in accordance with the wishes of its members.
7.6 Any WIC member failing to vote on a proposal by the date required shall be deemed to have abstained.
7.7 Amendments to the Class Rules or to this Constitution, approved by WIC votes, shall be communicated to all WIC members in writing by the International Secretary as soon as possible, and no later than 4 weeks after the voting deadline.
7.8 Amendments to the Class Rules or to this Constitution shall become operative on the 1st April of the year in which they were approved.
7.9 The official wording of the Class Rules and this Constitution, or amendments thereto, shall be the English language. Translations shall be the responsibility of each NCA. 
 
8.  FINANCE
8.1 The WIC shall authorise the expenditures of its Secretariat, which shall be financed by contributions according to the paid-up membership of each NCA as of the 1st Sept.
8.2 Contributions shall become due on the 15th September in each year. 
8.3 Any NCA which is in arrears with its subscription payments shall lose its voting rights until such time as all missed payments have been made. 
8.4 The rate of contribution per paid-up member shall be determined by the WIC. (see Appendix 3).
 
9.  RATIFICATION
9.1 The acceptance of this Constitution and any changes to its current wording shall be dependant upon the WIC voting procedure, in accordance with items 6 and 7 of this Constitution. Changes to this Constitution may also be proposed outside the time frame set out in item 7 and Appendix 1, provided that there is unanimous approval from the WIC representatives.
9.2 The WIC shall be entitled to grant National dispensation in relation to variation from the Class Rules. Such amendments shall govern Area and National Championship Racing and Open Meetings under the control of the relevant NCA and (unless otherwise agreed by the WIC), any International Wayfarer Championships taking place under such control.
 
10.  AUTHORITY OF COPYRIGHT HOLDER
Notwithstanding anything which might appear to the contrary in the Wayfarer International Class Rules, any decision of the WIC which may be in any way connected with the official drawings and/or specifications of the Wayfarer Dinghy is subject to the approval of the Copyright holders. The Copyright Holders will refer any proposed changes to the plans and/or specifications which affect Section III of the Wayfarer International Class Rules to the WIC.
 
11. DISCLAIMER
The official drawings and specifications are made and the Class Rules are enforced (or their enforcement may be waived) without responsibility on the part or any member of the WIC or any member of any Wayfarer National Class Association, or the designer of the Wayfarer, or the Copyright Holders for the time being of the Wayfarer design, for any injury, loss or damage howsoever caused.
 
APPENDIX 1:
TIMETABLE FOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO WIC:
1st Sept        Initial proposals for any rule changes to WIC Secretary
15th Oct.      Final rule change proposals due to WIC Secretary
1st Nov.        Ballots and rule change proposals mailed to WIC members
15th Mar.      Votes counted; results announced by WIC Secretary
1st April        Approved changes become effective
 
APPENDIX 2:
NCA VOTING PROPORTION (an example based on NCA membership for 2006)
UKWA   (1580 members)            6 votes
SWS      (352 members)             3 votes 
USA       (133 members)              2 votes
CWA      (81 members)                2 votes
NEDWA (25 members)                1 vote
Any motion would need 10 votes to carry a 2/3rds majority

APPENDIX 3:
The current rate of contribution per paid-up member is set at 25 cents Canadian.