Introducing the CA’s new Midlands Section

With more than 200 CA members calling the English Midlands home, the CA is delighted to launch a dedicated hub in the heart of the region. Whether your boat is moored on the coast, inland or further afield, our new Midlands Section is your home base and local community. The Midlands Section will bring together members through social events, talks, training, and knowledge sharing at Rutland Sailing Club (RSC).

With over 100 members in the cruiser fleet at RSC, home base for the new Section, CA members will be joining a welcoming and vibrant community.

The Midlands Section ensures that CA members, regardless of where their boat is kept, can actively participate in our cruising community. If you live within travelling distance of RSC, . Ian Hill is the CA’s Midlands Section Secretary and will keep you up to date with what is planned over the coming months.

Ian been sailing for over 50 years, both as a leisure sailor and a marine scientist. He has a variety of sailing experiences including several months in the Southern Ocean. He also claims a very tenuous link to being a true sailor in having ‘sailed the seven seas’. In 1978 he married his Fireball crew, Heather, and they still sail together, but not in the Fireball. Now Ian sails a 22 ft trailer-sailer at RSC and enjoys joining friends for trips offshore.

Ian is assisted by the RSC Cruiser Fleet Committee, who will coordinate the CA Midlands Section activities at RSC. The fleet is active on the water from April to November, and hosts talks and social events through the winter and spring.

Ian welcomes input from members on what they would like the Midlands Section to offer - whether that is training courses, skipper-and-crew meet-ups, talks and demonstrations, social events, or something different. Ian already has offers of talks from Midlands Section members, and more of these, and ideas and support for other social events are very much encouraged.

Upcoming RSC Cruiser fleet events at RSC, to which all CA Midlands members are warmly invited, include the winter series of ‘Fork and Talk’ social meetings. These are held on Sundays, with a hot lunch served at 1300 hrs, then a talk on sailing related topics and discussion at about 1400 hrs, leading on to social chat in the club lounge. The dates for these in 2026 are:

• Sunday 25 January 2026
• Sunday 22 February 2026
• Sunday 22 March 2026

Details of topics and speakers, and online booking, will be available in early 2026. The cost per person is to be finalised but we expect it to be about £14. For further information, members may contact the Midlands Section on midlands@theca.org.uk. Find out more on the Midlands Section web page.

Ruland Sailing Club ©John Fothergill

Joining a CA Section

If you’re not already a member of the Midlands Section, members, including crewing members, can join it by going to My Account > Sections.

Members who would like to join any other Sections, simply select the UK or Cruising Sections you would like to join. As part of your CA membership, you can join as many Sections as you wish. You will receive Section newsletters, updates and notifications of events via email – plus the chance to meet up with other members, in person or online, who live or sail in the area.

Non-members can find out more about the CA's Cruising Sections here.