At the heart of the Cruising Association lies an incredible force - our volunteers. Their dedication, passion and hard work are the backbone of the CA.
Often their work and knowledge sharing contributions remain unseen behind the scenes. That is why we have launched our new Volunteer Spotlight - a regular feature to celebrate the very essence of what makes our community special.
Each Volunteer Spotlight will be a way of saying thank you and celebrating our volunteers’ contributions. Together with our members, our member volunteers make the CA what it is today and shape what it will become tomorrow.
From Army orders to cruising horizons
The series kicks off with Bob Slay, who has been a CA member since 2020. Bob was appointed to the CA Council in November 2023 and holds the role of Volunteering Champion.
Bob’s cruising journey began unexpectedly in the late 1980s while serving in the British Army: "I was commanded by the Regimental Sergeant Major to join his racing team! After a couple of months of getting cold and wet in Wayfarers, a friendlier officer suggested cruising - because 'you don't get so wet, you get to see more interesting places, and you can relax with a G&T on deck when you moor up."
This advice led to Bob skippering Hallberg Rassy yachts from the Kiel-based British Army Yacht Club.
Commenting on what makes the CA special to him, Bob continued, "The knowledge members share freely has been hugely beneficial. This encourages people to sail further out of their comfort zone, in the knowledge that 'someone else like me' has done it before. It's been a great pleasure to meet those I've learned from and make inspiring new friends."
Lessons from the helm
Bob’s most memorable sailing lesson came the hard way, as he shares, "Read the instructions, and again! My wife and I sailed many infamous UK straits without incident. The one time I didn't read the pilot properly; we were carried by an 8-knot tide into a maelstrom at Stromness!"
Bob has spent the past three seasons cruising in Scandinavia, and his future sailing dreams include, "heading up Norway's west coast this year and next. Then if we don’t mind the cold, we hope to go on to Svalbard, and then on our way back to the UK possibly even Iceland and Greenland."
Bob Slay - Entering God's Wonderful Country (and my homeland) in 2021, having crossed the Bristol Channel
For those new to cruising, Bob advises, "Take it easy. Increased enjoyment comes with experience, and that comes with time sailed and ports entered and departed. In hindsight, we were lucky when Covid forced us to potter along Devon and Cornwall coasts for a year before heading north - it gave us time to sort niggles and build confidence in our new (and first) boat."
Bob Slay - Hekla of Banff - Sailing in the Åland Islands
Volunteering journey
After joining the CA in 2020, Bob’s path to becoming Volunteering Champion was serendipitous. "I considered becoming Honorary Treasurer in 2023, but they found someone better suited. Later I was invited to run for Council, and Chair Nick Nottingham asked me to take on this new role."
As Volunteering Champion, Bob works to "ensure volunteers are empowered, recognised, and supported." Drawing on his 36-year Army career, he plans to apply his project management skills to bring structure to volunteer recruitment and support.
"Using the results from a Volunteer Study carried out in 2023, I developed an annual Volunteer Support Action plan, which is agreed by Council and provides direction for my efforts. This year, some of the key actions are to develop volunteer succession planning, improve communications about, and to, volunteers, and improve access to volunteer support information in the redesigned members' website."
Volunteer impact
Bob highlights the impact of volunteers, proudly saying, "A huge amount of the CA’s output is delivered by its volunteers - 117 of them at the last count. From Cruising Almanac editors to members of RATS, to CAptain’s Mate editors and Section Secretaries - through our volunteers, the CA delivers benefits to our cruising community."
Bob balances his volunteer work and spends around five months away cruising each year. "I am able to dip in and out of my volunteering duties. In a typical week I probably spend about 6-8 hours on CA business, and in the winter months I travel up to CA House about once a month. I am retired, so I have the freedom to spend my time as I wish! Whilst I am away, I can continue to work ‘remotely’."
A vision for the future
Bob’s vision for tomorrow’s volunteers is clear, "To continue the great work! Our volunteers do amazing things for the benefit of others, for no reward and sometimes not much recognition. They do it because of their own love of sailing.
"Volunteers gain from their experience in many different ways – some develop more knowledge, most will make new connections within and outside the CA, and many leave their mark on the publications of the CA."
Reflecting on the legacy he hopes to leave, Bob continued, "I hope that by the time I hand over the Volunteering Champion role, we have an enlarged group of 150 active, successful volunteers who are enthusiastic about cruising and the CA, and enjoy being active as volunteers."
Join the CA Volunteer Team
Are you inspired by Bob’s story? Whether you can spare hours or days, your skills and passion will have an impact. Contact Bob Slay at volunteering@theca.org.uk to discuss how you can contribute.
24 June 2025