Cruising Association - Nice guys or No?

Salty

Salty

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Despite Groucho Marx's advice about joining clubs that would have you as a member, I'm thinking of joining the Cruising Association. Any comments from forumites on whether they're a friendly bunch or not?

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We joined at the Southampton boat show seduced by the free almanac and the library and members logs which will make any cruise a lot easier to plan.

We went along to the new members night and found everyone extremely friendly and pleasant. It didn't seem to matter what you cruised in or where or how far. There were people who cruised the canals and others who had done several circumnavigations.

My SWMBO points out that we are nice too!

Fill

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As with any club there will always be the not so nice! but the best people will have the most fun and the not so nice pretentious people will keep their nose's in the air and miss out......I say join, muck in and enjoy yourselves.

Wishbone
Rolling, rolling, rolling keep them doggies moving!
Where’s me chuck wagon gone?



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Very nice guys. Just renewed. We set off on World cruise last year and the time spent at their lectures and in their company was invaluable. Very helpful, in particular Janet Gaylor who invited us to dine on her table for the annual Christmas lunch.

Highly recommended

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Got talked into joining at the LBS last year. Not met any members yet, as I live in the N of Scotland, and the CA is based in London.

However, their staff seem very friendly & helpful, and, judging by their magazine, they seem to represent the views of cruising yachtsfolk rather better than the RYA. I've been an RYA member on & off for 30+ years, but I am considering resigning from the RYA, and remaining a member of the CA.


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Re: Jonic\'s cruise

> We set off on World cruise last year and

How did it go, or did I miss that thread?

Did the Westerly Corsiar match expectations?

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As a member of the CA I welcome your interest. There's a lot going on at the CA and in my experience it's just about the most open and welcoming club going, with an unbeatable range of lectures and lots of materials to assist those cruising, long haul and short. The cruising sections cover a range of sailing areas around the UK
the Baltic and Med.

Drop in and give us a try.

Peter Gibbs - make mine a half please (not so much G & T at the CA)

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Re: Jonic\'s cruise

Hi Jonjo,

Cruise is going well, you can read about us in Novembers yachting Monthly under for wetter or worse. The Corsair has proved to be a sound choice, surviving 55kts in the Atlantic and Hurricane Isabel in the Chesapeake bay. We have been very pleased, great living space and sea kindly. We have lived aboard for 14 months now and have always felt safe and comfortable. In our earlier greenhorn days she certainly proteced us from our lack of experience.

Have found the centre cockpit perfect for extended cruising, especially when you have a 20ft following sea. Tons of equipment failure, but mostly things that came with the boat. However we are not alone. The saying that the definition of cruising is fixing boats in exotic places is certainly true. But we love it. In the USA now heading for the bahamas via the intracoastal waterway.

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All the members I have met have been really friendly and helpful people. The only down side is that a certain clique of Red Rag fliers (usually the inadequate ones) will call you a snob and scrutinise your every move because your boat will be wearing a blue ensign (all be it defaced). Remember the dreaded 'OMG he's got his courtesy flag on the wrong spreader' chain, which even made the press (Have to say, the RYA advice card published to 'clear up the confusion' was a load of rubbish). Had the guy been wearing a red ensign I bet nobody would have noticed and certainly nobody would have commented on the forum, let alone have such an 'event' rate an article!!!! Still who cares what the insecure and ignorant say! Go for it. You get a lot for your membership fee!

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That\'s telling \'em!

Well said! Mind you, it's perfectly possible to be a member of the most excellent CA and NOT wear a blue ensign. Lots of us do it, sneakily, to confuse the "blue flag to a bull" brigade. ;-)

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Re: That\'s telling \'em!

Violetta darling!!!!! Is it really you??? Nice to hear from you again. Haven't spoken to you since the original boards crashed! I agree, but why should we be put off identifying with our clubs because of a few predjudiced wombats? After all, if we weren't proud of our clubs and their traditions, we wouldn't remain members.By the way, is your Paris salon still open, or was it closed down with the recent conviction of a certain English madam? I hope you're not writing from www.thebastille.com !

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Re: That\'s telling \'em!

There you have it, Salty. How can you miss the chance to join a club that numbers ianwright, Violetta and, from memory, Mirelle among its members? Just avoid any committee members with a White Ensign complex.

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Re: Jonic\'s cruise

Thanks for the update.

> you can read about us in Novembers yachting Monthly

I shall do that this evening, I missed the article on the first pass.

> The Corsair has proved to be a sound choice

One of the magazines did a 2nd look type review of the Corsair while you were away. Generally complimentary.

> 55kts in the Atlantic

That’s unusual for the December run to the Caribbean or did this weather strike later on the way to Florida?

Did you take on crew or tackle the whole voyage with just your new wife?

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Re: Jonic\'s cruise

Jonjo,

55kts struck 2nd day out of Tenerife after I spent the week telling the crew what a milk run it would be, this then settled into a three day stiff gale. I must say its amazing what you get used to, after two days we all stopped throwing up. We left November 13th, perhaps a bit early. The weather was forcast to improve and was glorious when we left. We took two crew for the Atlantic, one landed a job as first mate of a contest 55 in Antigua and hasn't been home since.We have had no crew since and really enjoy just us.
Who ran the Corair article?

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