Cruising Association

[Magic_Sailor]

All

I'm thinking of joining. Can anyone tell me what direct benefits or advantages they've gained by being members?

Thanks in advance.

Magic

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[Twister_Ken]

What\'s in it for you?

Folowing is taken from an article by Brian Hammett (all round nice guy and Arthur Ransom nut) in the last members mag, much precis'd by yours truly:

Local sections - organise local events, rallies, evening lectures, winter meets, etc
Honorary Local Representatives - local reps who can help out when you're going to or are in strange waters. Sometimes they can also arrange discounts on local services. There are HLRs in 49 countries ranging from Australia to the Windwards, including one for the Gironde (which might be handy).
Crewing service - find a crew or find a skipper, usually for longer trips
Members only website - but you've got Scuttlebutt!
Library - absolutely the best library anywhere for the crusing sailor. Includes just about every chart and pilot book ever published, magazines, general sailing and maritime publications etc. Catalogue is available online (members only) and you can order books by phone which are sent post-free. In addition to published works, there are extensive cruising notes and logs submitted by members.
Clubhouse - bar, restaurant, cabins (the cheapest coackroach-free place to stay in London?), winter lecture series, courses, free car parking, close to Docklands Light Railway.
Marina - Limehouse basin, discounted mooring for members.
RATS - Regulation and Technical Services Commitee - represents the cruising sailor to various outside bodies from harbour authorities through to Trinty House and the MCA
Merchandise - discounted publications - see http://www.cruising.org.uk/membship.htm for more info

 

[charles_reed]

Re: What\'s in it for you?

HOWEVER:

You'll get out of it what you put in - the CA is very much a co-operative organisation with far less dissatisfaction amongst its members than one finds in the RYA.

CA House Library provides an outstanding resource for passage- and cruise-planning throughout the world

The various sections provide a further source of valuable local information - usually to a far higher standard than is found on any BB.
You'll also find that the S Coast of the UK is not the only cruising area in the world to which reference is made and you'll find CA members in ports around the globe.

 

[Mirelle]

Re: What\'s in it for you?

Nothing I can add to those two excellent summaries - for me the library is one reason for joining, and the area lectures in the winter are another, and the discount on the Handbook or Almanac as we should now call it is another, and the cabins are another, but Charles has put his finger on it - this is not a huge organisation with a professional staff of 90 - it depends on the voluntary work of the membership, with just a tiny (but good) professional staff. So if you feel that you don't mind getting roped into things, you will get more out of joining than if you just get the magazine.

 

[ianwright]

Re: What\'s in it for you?

All of the above,,,,,
plus the only real reason to join any club, lots of my friends are members, and lots of the members have become friends.

IanW.

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[philmarks]

Re: What\'s in it for you?

and one more thing... it's a cruising association ie focused on cruising and not trying to run/control all watersports in the UK...hence the best value for money

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