What The Cruising Association does

The Cruising Association (CA) is a UK-headquartered, membership-based organisation serving approximately 6,400+ sail and motorboat cruisers, founded in 1908 and operating from CA House at 1 Northey Street, Limehouse Basin, London. It generates revenue primarily through annual membership subscriptions, which grant access to a curated information ecosystem including the award-winning CAptain's Mate mobile application (providing harbour details, navigation restrictions and real-time cruising data), the CA Cruising Almanac (co-published with Imray), and a catalogue of 58 publication products spanning the European Inland Waterways (26 guides covering France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands), Baltic and Northern Waters (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Jan Mayen), Biscay, the Mediterranean, and the English Channel. Its go-to-market is community-led, combining content marketing on theca.org.uk, an active social media presence, monthly newsletter distribution, presence at the Southampton International Boat Show, and a Refer a Friend programme with monthly prize draws.

The organisation runs a small staff team (1-10) supplemented by member volunteers, and is led in a ceremonial capacity by patron Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. Distribution is conducted through its own e-commerce storefront (shop.theca.org.uk, payments processed via Stripe) for both publications and branded merchandise, alongside direct membership sales. Beyond information products, the CA operates substantive advocacy programmes — most notably the 180-Day Visa Campaign (launched 2021) addressing post-Brexit Schengen 90/180-day restrictions on UK cruisers, and the Lobster Pot Campaign lobbying the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to convert voluntary fishing gear marking guidance into mandatory rules — plus safety services such as the Orca Project supporting sailors in Biscay and Atlantic Iberian waters. The underlying technology is conventional web and mobile infrastructure (website platform, SSO authentication, mobile app, Stripe-integrated checkout) with no disclosed AI/ML, API, or SDK components.

The customer base comprises individual recreational sailors and motorboaters (SMB/consumer) focused on European cruising, with segmentation by geography (UK home market and European cruising areas) and use case (sail vs. motor). Pricing is not publicly disclosed for membership but publications range from approximately £5.95 to £55.00, with the Cruising Almanac priced at £38.00 and many digital guides offered free to members. The CA is independent, not venture-backed, and self-sustains through fees and publication revenue.

Name

The Cruising Association

Legal name

The Cruising Association

Website

https://theca.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cruising Association, founded in 1908 and headquartered in London, is a UK membership organisation serving 6,400+ sail and motorboat cruisers with annual subscriptions, the CAptain's Mate mobile app, the CA Cruising Almanac, regional cruising guides, and advocacy programmes such as the 180-Day Visa and Lobster Pot campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Membership Services

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)

Keywords

• Cruising association membership
• Nautical publications
• Boating navigation app
• Sailing community
• Maritime cruising guides

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership providing access to real-world cruising knowledge from 6,400+ members, the CAptain's Mate app, digital publications, and community benefits.
2. Publications Sales: Sale of cruising publications including the CA Cruising Almanac (in partnership with Imray), European Inland Waterways guides, Baltic guides, and other cruising-related materials in both printed and digital PDF formats.
3. Online Shop Products: Sale of branded merchandise including burgee flags, membership flags, defaced ensigns, and clothing items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Cruising Association is a membership-based organisation that provides sail and motorboat cruisers with access to real-world cruising knowledge, an award-winning mobile application (CAptain's Mate), and a library of cruising guides and almanacs covering European waters. It sells publications, digital guides, and branded merchandise through its online shop, and runs advocacy campaigns on issues such as Brexit-related visa restrictions and fishing gear safety.

Product overview

The Cruising Association offers a membership-based portfolio of cruising information services and publications for sailors and motor boaters. The core offerings include the award-winning CAptain's Mate mobile app (providing reliable and accurate cruising information), the CA Cruising Almanac (published in partnership with Imray), and an extensive library of regional cruising guides covering European Inland Waterways (26 guides), Baltic regions, Biscay, the Mediterranean, and the English Channel. The Association also runs advocacy campaigns including the Lobster Pot Campaign for fishing gear safety and the 180-Day Visa Campaign regarding Schengen area travel restrictions for UK cruisers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAptain's Mate: Award-winning mobile app for sailors providing navigation and cruising information.

Products and services

• CA Membership Annual membership for individual sailors and motorboat cruisers providing access to an exclusive cruising community, the CAptain's Mate mobile application, digital publications, regional sections, events, and regulatory guidance. The CA has 6,400+ members and has operated continuously since 1908.
• CAptain's Mate App An award-winning mobile application available to members that provides reliable cruising information, harbour and marina details, navigational restrictions, and real-time updates for sailors and motorboat cruisers.
• CA Cruising Almanac A comprehensive annual cruising almanac published in partnership with Imray, sold in printed format at £38.00, providing essential cruising information for sailors across European waters.
• European Inland Waterways Guides A set of 26 cruising guides to the inland waterways of France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, published by the CA's European Inland Waterways Section. Available in printed (£6.95–£23.95) and digital PDF formats, with PDFs free to members and regularly updated using member-submitted reports.
• Baltic (including Northern Waters) Guides Cruising guides covering Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Greenland and Jan Mayen, produced by the CA's Baltic Section. Printed versions from £29.00; digital versions free to members.
• CA Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise sold through shop.theca.org.uk, including burgee flags, membership flags, defaced ensigns, and clothing items for members and the wider sailing community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted by sailors and motor boaters for reliability and accuracy wherever they are going

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ImraycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImray is the publishing partner for the renowned CA Cruising Almanac, published in partnership with Imray and other general cruising publications. The almanac is distributed through Imray's distribution network alongside CA's own shop.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Sailing Anarchy: Large online sailing community and forum providing sailing news, cruising information, and member discussions. Comparable to CA's community-led knowledge-sharing function, though digital-only and lacking the curation and publications portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Navionics (Garmin): Leading marine navigation app and chart provider, owned by Garmin, offering harbour data, routing, and community-sourced information. A partial substitute for CA's CAptain's Mate app and almanac content, though commercial rather than community-led.
• British Marine: UK trade association representing the leisure marine industry including boatbuilders, brokers, and chandleries. Comparable to CA only in marine industry association status, but its members are industry suppliers rather than individual cruisers.

Direct peers

• Royal Cruising Club: UK-based membership cruising club founded in 1880 for experienced cruising yachtsmen. Closely comparable to CA in member demographics, cruising focus, and community-led information sharing model, though more exclusive and smaller in scale.
• Ocean Cruising Club: International membership organisation for experienced ocean cruisers, providing information exchange, rallies, and community. Comparable to CA in its membership-led knowledge sharing model and cruising focus, though oriented toward blue-water rather than European coastal cruising.
• Seven Seas Cruising Association: US-based cruising membership organisation with a focus on information exchange among long-distance cruisers. Comparable to CA in its member-generated content model and cruising community orientation, though smaller and US-centric.
• Royal Yachting Association: The UK's national governing body for sailing and boating, also operating as a membership organisation offering cruising information, training, and publications. Directly comparable to CA as a UK-based sailing membership body, though RYA is larger and broader in scope (training, certification, racing).
• Yachting & Motor Boat Owners Association: UK-based membership organisation offering cruising-related information and services to boat owners. Directly comparable to CA as a UK-focused cruising membership association serving recreational sailors and motorboat owners.
• Cruising Club of America: US-based membership cruising organisation founded in 1922, serving experienced cruisers with information, social events, and stations network. Direct functional peer to CA in delivering curated cruising knowledge and community to serious cruisers, but operating primarily in North American waters.

Others

• Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson: Long-established nautical chart and cruising guide publisher that is CA's publishing partner for the Cruising Almanac. Adjacent rather than competitive — the two organisations collaborate commercially and share distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cruising_assoc?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CruisingAssociation
• Facebookfacebook.com/cruisingassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-cruising-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/cruisingassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Cruising Association