Why Join the BCA?

What the BCA does for you, and some reasons why you should join if you sail a Contender ...

The BCA is the British section of the International Contender Association. Without a strong and active class association a class dinghy would have but a short lived life. The Contender has thrived as a class over the last 40+ years because an active class association has been working hard behind the scenes to help it prosper:

• Representing it at national and international level
• Protecting its rules
• Running its racing
• Promoting and advertising it.

The BCA and the ICA are entirely voluntarily run members organisations, and the only financial resources they have to look after the class and its interests comes from the annual membership subscriptions. Membership subscriptions are used to administer and promote the class through its publications, this website, and events such as the Dinghy Sailing Exhibition.

Membership of the class association does not only benefit the active racing members - by joining the association you get a say in how the class is run, at both national and international level.

Membership of the BCA automatically gives you the right to vote at the UK class AGM and also the ICA AGM. Importantly it also gives you not only the right, but the opportunity to vote on any proposed rule changes - unlike some classes where rule changes can be passed by small quorums attending meetings in person, all rule changes have to be passed by a postal ballot of all ICA members.

This is one of the reasons why the pace of development in the class has been relatively conservative - it's the class grass roots that has controlled the pace of change, allowing the class to keep up with changes in technology without undermining the fundamentals of the design.

Without the support of ALL Contender sailors, the BCA and the ICA will not be able to support, protect, develop or promote the class in the manner it deserves. So, if you sail a Contender, join the BCA to ensure your voice is heard, and the value of your boat protected. Last but not least, the fee for the year is only £20.