Aim The aim of the Dinghy Cruising Association is to facilitate communication, exchange of knowledge and meeting between enthusiasts of dinghy cruising, who share a passion for sailing small boats non-competitively.
Throughout the year, we facilitate meeting between members and sailing in company via an extensive programme of suggested dates and locations for rallies, raids, meets and messabouts. We facilitate communication and exchange through publication of our quarterly journal, our on-line Forum and the DCA Facebook Group, and by providing technical advice and access to a lending library of sailing-related literature. Based in the UK and founded in 1955, the DCA has members worldwide. You can read about how it all began here.. |
DCA President, Roger Barnes, speaking on Dinghy Cruising at the RYA Dinghy show.
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Promoting dinghy cruising & sharing information
JournalDinghy Cruising is the Association's quarterly journal. Formerly the DCA Bulletin, it has been published continuously since 1955 and is available only to members. Designed and edited to a professional standard with 80 to 100 A4 pages, most in full colour, Dinghy Cruising provides a wealth of inspiration and practical advice.
You can see a selection of articles and download a sample copy here. |
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AdviceTechnical advice on any aspect of dinghy cruising is available to members from our technical advisor: Dave Jennings. If he does not know the answer, he will find it for you.
Members collectively are a fount of knowledge which they share generously - in articles and letters in the Journal and via our discussion forum and Facebook page.. Some of the articles can be found on this website but many more are available from the Journal Archive and DCA Library. |
LibraryThe DCA has a comprehensive lending library of books about cruising in small boats and related matters. Members may borrow books and back copies of the Dinghy Cruising journal. Postage is free both ways. The books will be posted with a return, postage-paid envelope included. The books may be retained nominally for a month but in practice until someone else wants them.
Read more... |
AwardsTwo awards are made each year for items that are published in Dinghy Cruising:
1. the Naylor Noggin for the best log of a cruise in a sailing dinghy, and 2. the Peter Bick Cup for the best technical article. The South Coast group have three awards for those members who complete the Hayling Challenge. Read more… |
Meeting & sailing together
The DCA has a number of regional groups who get together to suggest locations where members can meet and sail together in company. These occasions are not organised events, they are simply opportunities to sail in company. Each member attending a meet-up is fully responsible for his or her decisions about whether or not to sail and for their own safety and that of their crew. There are seven groups in England covering the South West, South, South East, East, Midlands, North West and North East of the country. The North West group share their sailing area with North Wales and regularly include suggested locations along the North Wales coast. Another group plan potential meet-ups in South Wales. There are two regional groups in Scotland - North and South - and one in Ireland. As our overseas membership has grown, groups have formed to suggest possible meet-ups in France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and in the Baltic. Our biggest overseas membership is in North America and a number of local groups are forming to suggest locations for meeting up in the USA and Canada. Read more…
Members can attend any proposed get-together in any region. One member usually offers to be the contact point and their contact details will be found in the Journal and the Forum. Members can also suggest pop-up rallies at short notice to create additional opportunities to meet and sail together. There are regional spaces in the DCA Forum to facilitate sharing plans for meeting up and you can search for members sailing near you in the Member Directory which is available in the Members' Section.
Members can attend any proposed get-together in any region. One member usually offers to be the contact point and their contact details will be found in the Journal and the Forum. Members can also suggest pop-up rallies at short notice to create additional opportunities to meet and sail together. There are regional spaces in the DCA Forum to facilitate sharing plans for meeting up and you can search for members sailing near you in the Member Directory which is available in the Members' Section.
A breath of fresh air
Dinghy cruising - whether adventuring or pottering - is a breath of fresh air in a competitive world, where day to day life is increasingly disconnected from the rhythms - and power - of nature.
The friendly club with a sense of adventure. For all sailors who use boats for more than just racing.
© 2010-2025 DCA. All Rights Reserved. |
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