The Dinghy Cruising Association has now become well established, and it is time for us to ask what its chief functions should be. Prospective members who ask “what do I get from joining?” expect more than the knowledge that we help to encourage dinghy cruising. We can, in fact, give a satisfactory reply, in explaining the services which by our joint efforts we are able to give to members. There is the Bulletin, which we hope will in future appear more regularly. There are the crew-contact facilities, still too little used. There is the small library of pilot books available for loan to members, of which details appear in this issue. But perhaps most important task of all is that which our Vice-President Brian Naylor has now undertaken. This is the compilation of a D.C.A. handbook. It is to be a pool of information collected from among ourselves — between us we must have a comprehensive store of knowledge of suitable dinghy-cruising grounds, landing places, launching places and anchorages, Existing works have been intended for larger cruisers limited to greater depths of water than a dinghy needs, and our handbook should contain much information not available elsewhere. It will be of a convenient form and size to carry in a pocket when cruising, and should be of tremendous help both in planning a cruise and in making decisions on the spot:— Is there a train home? Is the local still open?

All this information we now have among us — the task is to bring it together and to put it on paper. A copy of a form is included with this Bulletin:— if each member will fill it in and send it to Brian Naylor as soon as possible we shall have a handbook in time for the 1959 cruising season. The sooner the form reaches him, the sooner the handbook will reach you! There cannot be any member who does not know of at least one landing-place which should be included.

Over the country as a whole our membership is scattered, and written contact is the only means of keeping in touch, However, there are an increasing number of districts in which groups of members have been formed. A great deal can be done to help newcomers to dinghy cruising, and to help old hands too, by the exchange of information and by meeting afloat, arranging cruises in company and rallies for those who would like to see how others do things. There are already groups in Spithead, North London, and the Humber areas, and one may be formed in Belfast. Will any member who is interested in forming a new group, or in joining an existing one, please write to the Central Secretary?