Women in the DCA

Are you a woman sailor wondering what it is like to belong to the DCA?

Well, it is true that the majority of members are men but look, one of our founding members was a woman! If you read about the Origins of the Association you will discover that a Miss Joan Bentley helped to set up the East Coast group and promptly became part of the East Coast Committee in July 1955. As Mrs Joan Abrams she played a huge role in the DCA for the rest of her life and was editor of the Journal, previously called the Bulletin, for many years.

When Joan died in 2009 DCA President Roger Barnes wrote:

"Joan Abrams was there at the very beginning. To those of us who came later, the founders of the Dinghy Cruising Association can seem like giants. We are the pigmies who stand on their shoulders. The accounts of their voyages in the 1950s and early 60s, sailing in simple boats with primitive camping gear, and written up in the crudely printed bulletins of those years, are like the testament of a more heroic age. Joan Abrams was one of the few that remained who remembered those early, heady days. She was one of the last of the giants: a dinghy cruising Shackleton.

Joan in her last boat Pladdy Lug

I never went sailing with her, but I can remember reading with wonder about her voyages along the exposed Cumbrian coast in her old wooden dinghy, which inevitably involved a prodigious amount of rowing. When I finally met her, I was amazed that this slim woman could have found the physical fortitude to undertake such ambitious passages."

Jennifer Muscott, DCA Website Editor, writes "It was Joan that inspired me in the 1980s when as a single Mum with two kids, I was learning to sail. She wrote about trailing her 15' dinghy to Greece after she retired and sailing among the Ionian islands and I remember thinking well, maybe I can do that when I retire! Her article also introduced me to the DCA and I have been a member ever since." That's Jennifer sailing her Bass Boat with two friends, Leonie and Janice, at the top of the page.

Here are Joan's reminiscences of her Ionian summer .

While we are thinking about founding members of the DCA, we should not forget Margaret Dye, DCA member number 5 and wife of Frank Dye. Read her reflections on her life with Frank here: Extract from DCA Bulletin 207

Like Margaret many women sail with their husbands in equal partnership and that is to be celebrated as much as solo women sailors. Here is an account by Charlie Hitchen of a cruise he and his wife Bernie made on the west coast of Scotland. To Charlie, Bernie is The Skipper! It's turned out nice again!

Frank and Margaret Dye

Here are some more stories about current women members of the DCA

Liz Baker - DCA member since 1979
An intrepid sailor who has contributed enormously to the life of the DCA over the years. She has spent time as Librarian, Shop Manager, South Coast Regional Secretary and organiser of the Cobnor Camp fortnight. Liz started cruising in her 12'9" Mayfly dinghy back in the 1980s. In the two articles below she describes how she organised the dinghy for cruising and then tells the story of an adventurous trip she made with a friend around the Isle of Mull in Scotland. Liz now sails a Cormorant.
Cruising in a Mayfly Mayfly round Mull

Mary Dooley - DCA member since 2015
Mary started sailing in her 40s. While on a walking holiday she got chatting to a DCA member who told her about dinghy cruising, and the idea of camping in a boat on remote inland waters captivated her. She joined the DCA and crewed with other members for a while. What I Learned Going Dinghy Cruising describes her experience of crewing for Roger Barnes.
Mary then bought herself a Mirror dinghy which she took to the DCA Cobnor summer camp with no knowledge of how to sail or rig it. All the DCA members helped and supported her to get started, and she never looked back.

Mary has become well known after making her video of how to use a pop-up tent on her Mirror dinghy. and demonstrating it at the RYA dinghy show. However she now sails a Scamp and will be taking that to the 2024 dinghy show instead.

Charissa and Lizzie with their Wayfarer - photo © Ben Walwyn

Charissa Buhler and Lizzie Wynn - DCA members since 2021

Charissa and Lizzie own a 1967 wooden Wayfarer. They are members of the Porthmadog Sailing Club and sail in the Dwyryd Estuary in North Wales. The boat was equipped for camping when they bought it and has been their pride and joy for several years.

Charissa waiting for the tide

Pat Ditton - DCA member since 2021
Pat has sailed much of her life, starting with dinghies and then transitioning to crewing on cruising keelboats. However in 2021 she happened upon some DCA members coming ashore at East Head in Chichester Harbour. Liking the idea of cruising and camping in a small boat, Pat bought a Mirror dinghy and has now set it up with tent and sleeping boards. She is a regular at South Coast rallies and took part in the Hayling Challenge in 2023. This is her account of circumnavigating Hayling Island.

Baggywrinkle on the Cleddau

Carmel Royston - DCA member since 2021
Carmel and her partner Charlie discovered a mutual desire to go dinghy cruising during the Covid lockdown. They decided a 12' Tideway would suit them as it was big enough for two but would also fit in the garage. They managed to buy Baggywrinkle , a wooden Tideway that once belonged to Roger Barnes, and are using her to explore the rivers and coast of South Wales.
Carmel is our Regional Secretary for South Wales

Carmel and Charlie

Click here to read the story of Carmel going solo in Baggwrinkle for the first time.

Leonie Griffin and Janice Kerrisk - DCA members since 2019
Leonie and Janice began sailing as crew for Jennifer Muscott in her Falmouth Bass Boat. Together they had adventures on Loch Lomond, the Firth of Forth, Kielder Water and in the Lake District. When Jennifer moved away, they signed up to do the RYA dinghy sailing courses and joined Cramond Boat Club. Now they sail together in Leonie's boat - a Wanderer called Jennifer! Leonie is also our Regional Secretary for the South of Scotland.

Leonie and Janice sailing Jennifer at Coniston

Emma Keir - DCA member since 2021
Emma learned to sail dinghies when she was young. She became a Merchant Navy cadet in 1973 and got her Captain's Certificate in 1983. After 21 years on Channel ferries Emma retired and set about a finding a suitable cruising dinghy. After joining the DCA she made use of the DCA library and advice from the Technical Advisor as she considered her options. You can read about her Search for a Cruising Dinghy in this article and how she ended up with a Wharram Hitia 14 catamaran.

Emma sailing her Hitia 14 at Kielder Water