1.      Opening by  the VODA President, Walter Nerving

 

2.      Amount of VEGA yachts per VEGA-organisation

Each represented VEGA-organisation is invited to inform the General Meeting on the amount of VEGA-yachts registered, to establish the number of votes each organisator is entitled to:

Germany:                     125      (3 votes)

Sweden:                      640      (6 votes)

Denmark:                     190      (3 votes)

Netherlands:                225      (4 votes)

United Kingdom:          205      (4 votes)

Norway:                         60      (2 votes)

During this count the issue is raised what to do with double memberships (member in more than one country) and memberships of people without actually owning/sailing a Vega in the country of the member-organisation (for example: the UK has 179 actual UK based boat owners and 26 international members who just buy parts through the VAGB). For now it seems fair enough that the number of votes is related to the number of members a Vega-organisation pays the VODA contribution for. Walter Nerving suggests to present a solution for this issue at the next meeting.

 

3.      Approval of the minutes of the General Meeting of the last VODA meeting (18th July 2000, Hoorn, The Netherlands). The minutes are approved, with thanks to the secretary.

 

4.      Election of the VODA Board for a period untill the next VODA-meeting

The President, Walter Nerving, is eligible for re-election. He is re-elected.

The Secretary, Elly van Soest, is not eligible for re-election. She is praised and thanked for her contributions for six years. At the meeting Mr. Chris Kersbergen, also from the Netherlands, volunteers and is elected as the new VODA-Secretary.

 

5.      VODA Achievement Award 2002

Announcement of the names of the persons to be given the VODA Achievement Award 2002:

- Tom Rasmussen from Norway

- László Szônyi from Sweden

The reason why as well as the Awards will be presented at the Regatta Dinner.

 

6.      Place and time of the next VEGA International Friendship Regatta

In 2004 Sweden will host the VEGA IFR. A committee of 5 persons has started the preparations for an event in Göteborg.

 

7.      VODA-Economy

The Secretary proposes to double the contribution from 0,12 Euro to 0,25 Euro per member per year. With this money the website can be improved and maintained properly. The proposal is accepted, meaning it has been decided to raise the VODA contribution to 0,25 Euro per member per year.

 

8.      Racing with the Vega

The proposal of Joop Wagenmakers (chairman of Dutch Vega-organisation) about introducing a third class in Racing for non-measured boats – which he issued at the last VODA-meeting – is discussed. This point obviously raises a lot of debate.

 

Those in favour of the proposal emphasise the importance of respecting One Design Rules. Only when these One Design rules are taken very seriously, the national Sailing Associations will keep accepting the Vega as a One Design Class. That's why modifications beyond class rules can't be allowed. The proposal to introduce a third 'Touring' class, respects this and guarantees that only measured Vega One Design boats are sailing in the Racing Class (with spinnaker) and Cruising Class (without spinnaker). This ensures equal chances within all classes.

 

Those opposed to the proposal argue that all Vega's are modificated in one or the other way. New techniques and solutions make that a lot of boats have changes that improve the touring comfort; like extra rudders, selfsteering rudders et cetera. It would be unfair to exclude these boats from participating in the Racing and Cruising Class. Moreover, it will be very difficult to maintain the One Design Rules in the future, since people will keep making more changes and modifications to their boats.

 

After voting the proposal is accepted. The adapted class rules are:

 

A)      The Racing Class and Touring Class maintain as they were; meaning all boats in these Classes will need to be standard Vega One Design boats, the Vega Class Rules as met in all respects (as proved by a measurement form: to be measured and controled by the local Vega-organisation). The Racing Class will sail with spinnaker. In the Cruising Class spinnaker is not allowed.

B)      A new class is introduced: the 'Tourist Class' for all other boats that don't meet the Vega Class Rules. Boats with modifications that are not allowed by Vega Class Rules (for instance: extra rudder, steering rudder, et cetera) can only sail in the Tourist Class.

C)     The number of Classes that sail and the types of sails that are allowed in the Tourist Class at a specific regatta, will be decided by the local organisation that organises the regatta.

 

9.      National report on activities

The secretaries of the national associations, who did not yet make a short report on activities about the past two years, are kindly requested to submit such a report.

 

10. Internet experiences

At the meeting Lars Lemby suggests that all countries make one page on their own Homepage in English: a kind of summary of activities in English. In this way all countries can read it (which would make the national report redundant). The Chairman and Secretary will work out a plan.

Steve from the VAGB recommends that all countries claim their national webdomain 'albinvega.XX' (albinvega.dk, albinvega.nl, etc.). When all national organisations would do that, it will be very easy to find the different national websites. Obviously the domain 'albinvega.com' remains the exclusive website of the VODA.

 

11. Further questions and items

Question: if one takes out the helprudder and take it off the boat before a regatta, are you then allowed to sail Racing and Cruising Class? The answer is 'yes' (if the boat has been formally measured).

Question: would it be possible to communicate with each other more through internet. Steve from the VAGB anwers that this is already possible on the VODA webpage (www.albinvega.com) via the Yahoo group.

 

12. Closure of the meeting