Rallies
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Rallies are held across the UK and overseas. They range from day sails and short camp cruises in sheltered waters, to coastal expeditions over a couple of weeks. They are always an occasion for socialising, making new friends, comparing notes and boats and lots of picnics! You can sail in company or you can sail alone - the DCA does not over organise; join in as much or as little as you wish. At some rallies people all launch from the same place; at others they launch at different locations and meet up at a designated spot.
The Coronavirus pandemic had a major impact on the rally programme in 2020. All formal rallies were cancelled but some members managed to arrange to sail in company and comply with Government guidelines. Clearly the virus will still need to be taken into account when planning the 2021 rally programme and gatherings will need to remain small. |
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The DCA does not run a safety boat. Dinghy cruising on exposed tidal waters is for experienced sailors only. Individual sailors must decide whether they and their boat can handle the expected conditions. Always check marine weather forecasts and local conditions before you sail, and remember there is no shame in deciding not to sail if you think conditions are more than you or your boat can manage.
Members are welcome to just turn up, with or without their own boat. Depending on the location, members cruise not just in sailing dinghies but also occasionally in rowing boats, kayaks and canoes. Newcomers might find it useful to contact the organiser of the rally in advance, to make themselves known and see what opportunities there may be to sail with others as crew or in company.
In order to plan rallies the DCA has five regional groups and members normally meet up in early spring to decide on the programme for the year. In 2021 these meetings may well be conducted online via Zoom or the Forum or simply by email discussion. The agreed rally programmes are always included in the Dinghy Cruising journal sent to all members and are posted in the Forum as well as here on the website. Typical rally locations are outlined below together with links to view the planned dates for the current year. It is important to remember that these are always subject to changes and members planning to attend a rally should always contact the person hosting the rally or check the details on the Forum.
In order to plan rallies the DCA has five regional groups and members normally meet up in early spring to decide on the programme for the year. In 2021 these meetings may well be conducted online via Zoom or the Forum or simply by email discussion. The agreed rally programmes are always included in the Dinghy Cruising journal sent to all members and are posted in the Forum as well as here on the website. Typical rally locations are outlined below together with links to view the planned dates for the current year. It is important to remember that these are always subject to changes and members planning to attend a rally should always contact the person hosting the rally or check the details on the Forum.
South Coast
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The South Coast is one of the most active areas for rallies. Some of the places they visit include:
2020 Rally Programme |
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South West
Halton meander, River Tamar
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In the South West rallies may be planned to explore some of these locations and places:
2021 Rally Programme |
North West
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The North West hosts rallies in the Lakes and a number of coastal locations, for example:
2020 Rally Programme |
Picnic spot on Coniston
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North East & Borders
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The North East is one of the smaller regional groups in the DCA. However they do host the wonderful Border Reivers rally which starts at Kielder Water in Northumberland and then heads north, over the border to Loch Lomond in Scotland. Other rallies are organised at Kielder and on occasion to:
2020 Rally Programme |
East Coast
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The East Coast region's rallies often involve exploring the following rivers:
2020 Rally Programme |
Iken Cliff on the River Alde © Terry Shave
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Pop up Rallies
If any member of the DCA is planning to go sailing and thinks it would be good to have company, they are welcome to make a post on the Forum giving details of when and where they plan to launch, what the proposed route and duration would be and how they can be contacted by anyone interested to join them. This can be accompanied by a post on the Facebook page with a note saying, for example, 'Pop up rally this weekend in the North West region' - for further information please login to the DCA Forum.
Other raids and festivals that may be of interest:
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The friendly club with a sense of adventure. For sailors and families who use boats for more than just racing.
