Supporting
Community Boating

National Community Boats Association

The National Community Boats Association or NCBA is a charity that provides support to Community Boating Organisations. Its does this primarily through training support but also by representing the interests of the member projects with the Canal and River Trust.  The NCBA administers systems to allow promote the safe use of the inland waterways.  Its qualifications are recognised by the Canal and River Trust which allows Community Boating organisations to operate boats which carry up to 12 passengers.

A small selection of our member's details are shown below

Blackwater Community Barge
Blackwater Community Barge
Our organisation aims to provide a purpose built wide beam canal boat built to suit the specific needs of user groups. The boat will operate on the 12 mile stretch of the River Blackwater bordering counties Tyrone and Armagh.

Sovini - Pride of Sefton
Sovini - Pride of Sefton
'Pride 2' is 60ft long and 12ft wide, with a fully heated, open plan design incorporating movable furniture for 'board room' of 'cafe-style' layout. It is ideal for a family get-together, social activities, private/business meetings, interviews, staff training, etc. There is a fully fitted galley kitchen consisting of a four-ringed cooker, fridge, two microwave ovens.

Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust
Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust
The Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust is a registered charity set up in 1983 to raise money to build and operate a narrowboat to run day trips for disabled and disadvantaged groups of all ages. Lady Winifred is our new, specially designed and adapted, narrowboat launched on 30 June 2019. Our fully trained volunteers take out daytrips, 7 days a week, from April to October on the canals around the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (the 'stream in the sky') which is a World Heritage Site.

Mary Sunley Canal Boat Trust
Mary Sunley Canal Boat Trust
The Mary Sunley 2 is a community canal boat which aims to take groups of disadvantaged people or people who would otherwise not get the opportunity for trips on the Macclesfield Canal. Our boat is a 62ft purpose built vessel which can take up to 12 passengers. We have a lift so can include up to 4 wheelchairs on our trips. A typical trip lasts 4 hours and runs from our base in Highter Poynton to Marple and back along the Macclesfield Canal. The boat is operated by volunteers.

NCBA Training

Training is provided by NCBA projects know as Accredited Training Centres. The ATC has available to it one or more NCBA Trainers who can deliver the NCBA courses. Normally an ATC undertakes all its own training but will often run courses for external people. If you are not attached to a project and require training please contact an ATC in you area. These can be found on the Projects page.

Public Course Information

From time to time details of public training course places are made avaiailable here.

    Latest News

    NCBA 2020 AGM – 12th December at 10:00am

    NCBA 2020 AGM – 12th December at 10:00am

    For the 2020 AGM it had been planned to hold the AGM at Pirate Castle in London. Due to the Covid19 restrictions this was not possible, instead the meeting was held online using Microsoft Teams on the 12th December 2020. The meeting started at 1pm...

    NCBA 2019 AGM – 16th November at 10:00am

    NCBA 2019 AGM – 16th November at 10:00am

    This year the NCBA AGM will take place at Braunston Memorial Hall, The Green, Braunston, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 7HW on the 16th November 2019 starting at 10:00 am. Please email members@national-cba.co.uk if you are attending. Please...

    NCBA 2018 AGM – 17th November at 10:00am

    NCBA 2018 AGM – 17th November at 10:00am

    This year the NCBA AGM will take place at Portland Basin Museum, 1 Portland Place, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 0QA on the 17th November 2018 starting at 10:00 am. Portland Basin Museum is housed within the restored nineteenth century Ashton Canal...

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