A Summary of the Heritage Fund SGM
- the motion to dissolve the Heritage Fund (discussed at the October AGM but then tabled), was brought forward. It was defeated.
- the motion to redefine the purpose the Heritage Fund as being to finance major capital expenditures, with a requirement that all withdrawals from it must be pre-approved at an AGM or SGM, was passed.
- an amendment requiring the Executive to obtain "reasonable assurance", before implementing the change, that such re-definition would incur no tax liability nor affect FCRCC's Non-Profit Organization status, was also passed.
- the motion to withdraw an amount from the Heritage Fund, sufficient to build 6 of the Club's new OC1 design (see below), after the prototype has passed all testing, was passed.
- an amendment that the total amount withdrawn in the 2010-2011 operating year would not exceed $20,000, was also passed.
In addition to the motions & discussion, details on two items bearing on the future of FCRCC were presented:
- Lauren Marchak talked at length about his plan & vision for growing FCRCC's programs & offerings for young paddlers, and for the overall suite of Flatwater activities. There were many questions & comments from the Members present - but the overall reaction was positive. Lauren will be preparing a more detailed report and/or plan, which will be brought to the Membership at some future date. For this season, the already-approved (at the AGM) new Youth & Flatwater programs will proceed as planned.
- Lauren & Shane Martin talked about the progress and plans for the new "Club" OC1. In brief:
(please keep in mind that this is a "development" project ... and so, like all such, many things can change)
- based on the Surfrigger design ... "cockpit" style, with spray skirt as needed
- the hull mould has arrived here, and is now being modified to deal with the weak points in the hull (based on our 10 years of experience using SRs)
- will use an external rudder (so that banging the rudder - dock, rocks, etc. - will no longer be a source of leaks)
- probably a flip-up rudder (Sea Kayak style), so that changing to V1 will be simple & "no tools"
- pedestal seat, instead of a bucket-on-rails (much more durable)
- stick steering (well proven method, and harder to break anything with a "two feet" push)
- cockpit gunnel will be much smaller, to reduce hand/finger injuries when J-stroking in V1 mode
- will use original SR "light" ama
- iakos will have button snaps at both ends
- target weight 35 pounds (fibreglass/carbon/Kevlar combo)
- ama/iakos & some other elements can be retro-fitted onto existing SRs (or at least the ones still in good shape), so that all the resulting "SR fleet" will be similar
- first prototype may be ready March/April, if all goes well
- it will be extensively tested (not quite to the point of destruction!), before a go-ahead for building more is done
- first production run (expected to be 6, see above) may occur early Summer ... but again, only if all goes well
- price per boat will not be clear until the prototype is built
- hull will be built locally (by a well-known Sea Kayak manufacturer), rest of components will come from off-shore (lowest cost)