Dinghy Cruising Association
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Dinghy Cruising Association


The friendly club with a sense of adventure. For all sailors  who use boats for more than just racing.

​Dinghy Cruising means different things to different people…


​DCA member no 4 Frank Dye famously sailed from Scotland to Norway and Iceland in his Wayfarer dinghy - and along the east coast of North America. He described the latter voyage in his book   Sailing to the Edge of Fear.

DCA member no. 3697 Reuben Thompson more recently sailed  his beautiful home made boat around the British Isles from Ipswich and all the way across the North Sea to Norway.   He had the time, the experience and the courage.
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Reuben camped in Pilots Cove Anglesey
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Braving the North Sea!
But there are the hundreds of us who take out a small boat for a daysail with no  objective other than to reach around to the next-door cove for a picnic or make a minor voyage of exploration to the furthest creek of an estuary. DCA members often try and meet up to enjoy such simple pleasures in company.
Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing... about in boats — or with boats. In or out of ’em, it doesn't matter.                    
​Kenneth Grahame  "The Wind in the Willows"
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While in the middle of the spectrum lie those who voyage a little further than that creek or cove and are prepared to camp overnight, ashore or at anchor in their boat, before either returning or going further still.
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The Dinghy Cruising Association welcomes them all…

Join the DCA

The friendly club with a sense of adventure. For all sailors who use boats for more than just racing.

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  • Home
    • About
    • Origins
    • Why join us?
    • Women in the DCA
    • Contact us
  • Cruising
    • Getting started >
      • FAQs
    • Living aboard
    • Taking the family
    • Pilotage Notes >
      • The Dee Estuary
    • Boat Safety Recommendations
    • Howard Rice goes Below 40 South
  • Dinghies
    • John Welsford talks about designing boats
    • Michael Storer talks about becoming a boat designer
    • Boat reviews
    • Technical Articles
    • Roamer and Rebell
    • YM Designs
  • Rallies
    • Rallies in England >
      • South Coast
      • South East
      • South West
      • North West
      • North East
      • East Coast
      • Midlands
    • Rallies in Scotland
    • Rallies in Wales
    • Rallies in Ireland
    • Rallies in North America >
      • Northeast Chapter
      • Pacific Northwest
      • ChesapeakeSWS
    • Rallies in France
    • Rallies in the Netherlands
    • Rallies in Scandinavia
    • Rallies in the Baltic
  • Journal
    • Archive contents
    • Digital Subscribers >
      • 2025 Journals
  • Other Membership Features
    • DCA Library >
      • Good Reads
      • Book Reviews
    • DCA Shop
    • DCA Forum
    • DCA Awards >
      • Naylor Noggin
      • Peter Bick Cup
      • Hayling Challenge
    • Photo Competition
  • Join now
  • Members Section