Join the CA Community - afloat & ashore

Check out the Sections below to find a Cruising Association group near you, check out the events they’re running and find their contact details.

'Cruising Sections’ cover sea areas whilst ‘Local Sections’ are UK-based. There’s also an Antipodean Section for members ‘down under’ and a Motorboat Section for those cruising in motorboats.

When you join consider signing up to at least two Sections, one near home and another where you want to cruise. You can join as many Sections as you like – it’s FREE - and there are opportunities to get involved in events and discussions most relevant to you and your cruising.

Cruising Sections use dedicated online forums to exchange information. As a CA member you can access any forum at any time, whether you’re a Section member or not. You can even set up automatic forwarding of posts from any forum and the ‘cruising mode’ helps you control receipt of emails when airtime might be expensive or bandwidths restricted.

Cruising Sections

Baltic

Covers the Baltic Sea, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Faroes. Holds a popular introductory seminar every spring.

Biscay

Covers Western France, Spain and Portugal as well as crossing Biscay. Holds a popular introductory seminar every spring.

Blue Water

For those sailing outside of European waters. Holds a popular Blue Water seminar in the summer.

Celtic

Covers waters from Land’s End to Cape Wrath. Meets at various west coast venues to share knowledge on all aspects of cruising the region.

Channel

For those cruising the south coast of the UK, Channel Islands, and France from the Belgian border to NW Brittany. Holds an annual seminar and summer rally/cruise-in-company.

European Inland Waterways

Covers over 30,000 km of navigable rivers and canals passing through over 20 countries. Annual seminar and lunch each autumn at CA House.

Mediterranean

Covers the Mediterranean from Spain and Morocco in the west to the Levant in the east, and includes the Black Sea. Meets at CA House in the winter, and afloat in the summer.

Motorboat

The Motorboat Section aims to bring together motorboaters where ever they are and whatever type of motorboating they enjoy.

North Sea

Covers the UK, Belgian and Dutch coasts. Meets at East Coast venues to share knowledge on all aspects of cruising the region.

Local / UK Sections

Antipodean

For members who live in Australia and New Zealand and who sail in the Northern Hemisphere.

CA London

CA London events are held at our Limehouse HQ.

Essex

Meetings held at Blackwater Sailing Club and mid-week lunches arranged.

Kent

Kent Section's 'Winter Warmers', talks by a variety of speakers, will be held via Zoom for the forseeable future.

Solent

Summer rallies with weekend meets. Winter talks with ‘club’ suppers usually at a Hamble yacht club or marina.

South West

For members living in or cruising the areas from Portland Bill to the Isles of Scilly and along the north coast of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset to Bristol.

Suffolk

Joint meetings are arranged with the Royal Harwich Yacht Club at Woolverstone.

Thames Valley

Winter talks are held in partnership with the Gerrards Cross Sailing Association (GXSA) at Colston Hall at The Memorial Centre in Gerrards Cross.

Wessex

Talks are held at Lilliput Sailing Club, Poole.

Forthcoming Section Events

Non-members are welcome to attend

Stars to Steer By, Julia Jones
Date: 26/11/2025

Julia’s latest book tells the stories of more than 100 women sailors from the 1870s to the present day. Its focus, however, is on the twentieth century: trying to get some...

A Lifetime at Sea, Russell Carnelley
Date: 26/11/2025

Russell’s early career was in the Merchant Navy, starting age 16 as a deck cadet but rising to Captain (Master) with P...

Beginning in Biscay Seminar
Date: 29/11/2025

The Biscay coast of France offers superb cruising, with peaceful anchorages, charming islands, beautiful beaches, and the rare chance to moor right in the heart of historic towns like Vannes, La...

CA London & RIN annual lecture: Piloting the Thames Estuary; UK’s Biggest and Busiest Port, London Maritime Pilot, Ivana-Maria Carrioni-Burnett
Date: 03/12/2025

Ivana’s talk will cover a day and a night in the life of a Thames Sea Pilot: from first call and passage planning, to being bounced around in a pilot boat and THAT ladder...

Solo Circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle, Ella Hibbert
Date: 03/12/2025

From her base in Gosport, Ella sailed her 38-foot boat Yeva single-handed via Iceland, the NW Passage, Alaska, Russia, Norway and back home – an impossible passage just a...

Life and times on the Royal Yacht Britannia by Tony Noble RN (Nobby) and Steve Porter RN
Date: 04/12/2025

Tony spent nine of his seventeen year Royal Naval career on board the Royal Britannia and during this time he served alongside Steve Porter. This double act will entertain you with stories and...

Wessex Section Festive Lunch
Date: 07/12/2025

We are pleased to return to Parkstone Yacht Club again this year to enjoy the very pleasant waterside restaurant for a fun, informal lunch. Details will be announced in October. Date and Time:...

CA carol service and supper
Date: 10/12/2025

Join us for our annual traditional carol service at St Anne’s Limehouse, followed by an informal Christmas supper at CA House....

Kent 24 hour Lifeline - SERV Kent by Trevor Sayer
Date: 08/01/2026

SERV Kent, also known as the ‘Bloodrunners’, is a registered charity that has, since 1993, been delivering blood, blood products, samples for testing & other medical items to hospitals across the...

"Near and Far", and Photo Competition
Date: 20/01/2026

Please join us as we begin the year with our traditional "Near and Far" social evening, where we will hear the tales of travels in 2025 from a couple of our members. Do let us know if you would like...

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