- Our aims are to bring together people interested in barges and barging.
- To establish and maintain contact with other relevant societies and clubs, navigation authorities and trade associations.
- To represent the interests of barge owners in areas such as moorings rights, navigation permits and charges, provision and maintenance of barge navigations and navigation safety regulations.
- To seek benefits for members in the form of discounts on barge-related goods and services.
DBA the Barge Association, previously known as the Dutch Barge Association, is generally but by no means exclusively concerned with Big Old Boats from any origin converted for living afloat and pleasure cruising in Europe. Typically these are ex-commercial cargo vessels, often from the Netherlands or UK because those are the best sources of craft of a suitable size.
Most barges are flat bottomed, and therefore best suited to river, canal, and estuary cruising, although they can make sea voyages (such as across the English Channel) in calm weather.
DBA was launched in 1992. It now (May 2007) has over 1450 members from all over the world.
Our colour magazine Blue Flag is published every 2 months and has received a number of awards within the boating press. We also run an active Internet newsgroup (discussion forum).
We invite everyone who is interested in barges or other broad beam inland craft to become a DBA member.
You are very welcome here. Please look around our site and contact us if you have any questions or suggestions.
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