Testimonials to DBA from members

"The DBA Waterways Guide is the absolute Number 1 thing for us, as it helps us find suitable moorings almost anywhere in Europe."

In 2017 we retired and bought our own 15m Piper barge and found a goldmine of information with the DBA. The Waterways Guide in particular, especially when installed on mapping software, is the absolute Number 1 thing for us. We can be confident that we’ll find a suitable mooring even when exploring new areas.  There is no other source of comprehensive information about moorings throughout Europe that beats it.

The knowledge base and the forum are also great resources, and we can always rely on fellow members for insights and advice.

Meeting other members either at rallies or when we see their DBA flag has also been a delight.

Tim and Penny – Deep Thought

"We joined DBA for the advice and expertise on the website and forum. But the social element of the DBA has made our boating days special.”

We bought a share in our replica barge “Decize” when new back in 2001 and joined DBA shortly after for the advice and expertise available through the website and especially the Forum. The internet was still a bit clunky in those days but it was great to have an almost live stream of information, most of which was very new to us!

What was a surprise was the social element, meeting other members on the river and at rallies. We have had marvelous times afloat in the UK and Mainland Europe. We forget the cold rainy days and recall those sunlit evenings shared with others. DBA has made boating days special and we look forward to many more!

Mike & Ann Gibbons, Decize, UK 

" Discussing our build plans with other DBA members helped us achieve our ‘perfect barge."

Tim and I joined DBA 4 years before we even bought our hull. We attended every European and UK rally, talked to the boaters, visited their boats, asked questions about their boats and their lifestyles, took notes, carefully considered everything we had discovered and used this to plan the purchase of our sail-away Replica Dutch Barge. Over the next 4 years, we made use of the DBA forum to ask questions, making use of the wealth of knowledge amongst the members. We also benefited from the Suppliers guide to obtain discounts as we purchased all the equipment we required to fit out our boat. We continued to attend as many rallies as we could, making new friends, cementing existing ones and refining our questions according to the progress we were making with our own boat. Now that we are living aboard our own boat, we have become part of the DBA boating community, meeting up with fellow boaters from around the world and welcoming them aboard our boat too. The DBA enabled us to access the knowledge, friendships and community which made our transition, from living in a house to living aboard our boat full time, so much easier.

 Glynis and Tim, KISOT, UK

"As DBA members we now have access to a variety of useful information such as nice moorings, technical facts, a vivid chat group and a nice magazine that makes you feel like planning your next journey.”

Retired in 2022, we thought of cruising the European waterways all year round.
Easier said than done with our 23 meter barge. After 6 months we had faced so many difficulties to find suitable mooring places, we returned, slightly disappointed, to Bruges in Belgium.
There we met a warm community of DBA members who convinced us to join DBA.
A new world opened for us: for a fair contribution, we now have access to a big variety of useful information like nice moorings, interesting technical facts, a vivid chatgroup (sometimes the info there is clearer/faster than official waterways sites) and a nice magazine which makes you feel like planning your next journey!

 Peter & Conny, Mira-Ceti, Belgium 

 "We cruise for 6+ months each year, with a global network of friends from DBA. We love this life.”

 We joined DBA 12 years ago because we were thinking about cruising in Europe on a barge. Coming from Australia, this seemed like a difficult task, but with the help and support from DBA we made it. We are now cruising for 6 months plus each year on our own barge, with a network of friends from DBA around the world. We love this life.

Deb and Howard
Moondance
Australia

"Joining DBA was the best move we made before buying our 13m Dutch cruiser, 'Kenkiz.' There is so much valuable information on the knowledge base and forums, with links to key waterways and cruising sites."

Joining DBA was the best move we made before buying our 13m Dutch cruiser, 'Kenkiz.' The Knowledgebase is a goldmine for reliable advice on everything from cruising routes to insurance. The 'Buying a Barge' section was a lifesaver as a newbie, and the forums always have the answers we need. DBA’s links to French waterways and cruising sites have made navigating the boating world a breeze. Highly recommend!

Bryce and Helen
Kenkiz
Australia

“We joined DBA in about 2017 and continue to enjoy all of the articles, information, members
help and other resources.  We are grateful for everything we have learned from DBA.”

We were initially inspired by Marilyn’s family history on the Dutch canals, and we decided to give it a go ourselves.  After a couple of rentals, we purchased our deRuiter Kotter. We’ve now logged over 2,000 hours cruising Belgium, France, and the Netherlands and have rebuilt much of the boat and its systems, learning invaluable skills along the way.  We’re now
planning to explore southern Sweden after two memorable trips on the Göta Canal.
DBA has been an essential guide in our boating journey, and we continue to enjoy all of the
articles, information, members help and other resources. We’re truly grateful for the
knowledge and connections we’ve gained.

Anders and Marilyn, Pantha Rei, Montana, USA

"DBA is not only a fount of knowledge, it is also a friendly and caring community."

"We joined DBA in 2016, on the recommendation of a lovely couple visiting our home port of Antwerp. They told us all about the Waterways Guide, and having a 28 metre barge, our world opened up!
  In the following years we tried out as many spots as we could in Belgium (mainly, as we are both still of working age), the Netherlands and France. We looked up suppliers, learned about changing regulations for boats and skippers from the KnowledgeBase and the Forum and most importantly, met many great people during the yearly rallies we attended and serendipitous meetings on the water. 
  DBA is not only a fount of knowledge, it is also a friendly and caring community. Since selling our barge (for health reasons) we have not been able to say goodbye because we’d miss it too much.

Tom&Liza,  (ex-)Daffodil,  Belgium

"DBA’s incredibly friendly, supportive and knowledgeable community and its invaluable
sources of information are a huge benefit as we live and cruise in our home on the water.”

 In 2019 we stopped working and embarked on our biggest adventure yet, buying a 25m
Dutch klipperaak, moving aboard and living on the inland waterways of Europe. Not wishing
to do things by half this was our first ever boat and the learning curve more akin to a cliff
face!
Without the support of DBA, its incredibly friendly, supportive and knowledgeable
community of members and the invaluable sources of knowledge and information, the cliff
face would probably have been insurmountable. The resources we have access to as
members are a huge benefit as we continue living and cruising aboard our home on the
water. 

Andy and Natalie, Ebenhaezer, United Kingdom

“From the knowledgeable owners contributing to the discussion groups, to DBA books and
publications, the wealth of information available from DBA was invaluable to our
purchase process.”

 We’d owned a narrowboat for quite a few years, but when we decided to buy a Dutch-style
barge, it was clearly a venture into unknown territory for us.
Luckily, I discovered DBA early in my researches, and what a mine of information it
proved to be. From the knowledgeable owners contributing to the discussion groups, to
their books and publications, the wealth of information available from DBA was
invaluable to our purchase process. So glad we joined!

Carole and Paul Grainger
Kraken
UK

“Joining DBA was very valuable to us as we embarked on our first ever boat purchase to cruise the UK waterways. Such great people and knowledge essential to any boat owner.”

 We fell in love with this 13m Dutch Cruiser called “Max IX” on the Thames river in England. The DBA community are such great people and the association has knowledge essential to any boat owner.

Tanja & Marius
Max IX
UK

If you are already a DBA member who would be happy to recommend DBA to other boaters, we’d love to hear from you with a little information about your boating situation, and what you think makes the DBA valuable for you.  And a photo of your boat, with you in the photo if possible. email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.