DBA The Barge Association
DBA The Barge Association

photo: Southern Dysfunction

DBA – The Barge Association is for anyone interested in leisure boating on the inland waterways of Europe, especially those with larger size boats (barges).

The association celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2017 and has around 1700 members from many countries around the world, united by a passion for barges and barging. The Barge Association offers a ready-made community online and, at its numerous events throughout the year, promotes general awareness of barges and boating in larger vessels, and represents its members to waterway authorities throughout Europe.  The membership live on and cruise, either full time or part time, on canals and rivers in all corners of Great Britain and Ireland and right across Mainland Europe.

Practicality

DBA helps members (with or without boats) to share information and experiences on barges and barging in the association’s award winning magazine Blue Flag as well as on the website www.barges.org, and especially on the Forum which covers a wide range of topics raised (and usually resolved) by members.  The website also includes the Knowledge Base which uniquely offers distilled advice on a large number of key barging topics and the Waterways Guide which details navigation information on canals and rivers across the whole area the membership use their vessels, particularly information on moorings for larger boats.

DBA Membership is open to anyone from anywhere in the world who is a barge owner, a barge dreamer or just interested in barges. Membership benefits include –

  • Blue Flag: DBA’s full colour magazine, sent to members bi-monthly.
  • Events: Rallies and social occasions held throughout the year.
  • Forum: Discussion between members, accessible online or by email.
  • Waterways Guide: Information from members about moorings and services on the waterways.
  • Suppliers Directory: A directory of Suppliers used by members, with reviews. Some give discounts to DBA members.
  • Knowledgebase: A compendium of information from members.

Membership includes access to all these services as well as the private members’ group on Facebook.

Sociability

Many members meet together at the AGM and dinner which is a social and entertaining way to learn more about the association’s activities. Annual Flag Days also take place globally: in the UK, Australia, the USA, Continental Europe and anywhere DBA members gather together. There are regular rallies in the UK and on the Continent for members to attend with or without their barges, and these are both excellent reunions for old friends as well as the chance for newcomers to get to know DBA-The Barge Association and enjoy all it has to offer.