With effect from 1 January 2019 revised membership categories and event membership requirements came into being (see Membership section).
The basic form of membership is now that of a 'Local Member'. This category of membership is required for all competitors competing in the Inland Championship and Golden Dolphin-badged open meetings (there is one variation to this rule - see below *). Host clubs are required to ensure that all competitors are, at least, 'Local' members.
There is no association membership requirement for entrants competing in open meetings that are not badged 'Golden Dolphin'.
For national and international championships all entrants representing the UK must be be either 'Full' or 'Under 26' UKFA members. Boat owners who are 'Full' or 'Under 26' members will receive a Fireball International plaque and counterpart. The counterpart should be stuck to the boat's certificate in the space provided and the plaque itself stuck to the forward face of the aft tank. If these actions are not undertaken the boat is not a fully-compliant Fireball and is merely a 16' 2" scow!
* A variation to this rule exists for fully paid-up members of a club that is hosting a Golden Dolphin open meeting. In these cases, only one individual in a competing boat need be a 'Local' member. For the avoidance of doubt, any competitors benefiting from this variation must comply with the full Golden Dolphin membership requirements if they compete in Golden Dolphin events that are hosted by other clubs.
