Open Canoe Sailing Group (OCSG)

Sailing canoes on a 2 day cruise on windermereO.C.S.G. cruise entering Loch SunartOpen Canoe Sailing Group on WindermereSailing canoes on Hickling Broad

 The Open Canoe Sailing Group is the principal organization for canoe sailors in Britain. It was formed in 1990 by John Bull and other like minded people and has grown from a dozen or so enthusiasts to well over a hundred today. It is affiliated to the British Canoe Union (the BCU). The number of registered boats has risen to about a hundred. Between ten and thirty boats are to be seen at most of the meets.

There are 10 or more OCSG weekend meets every year, many of them held in different parts of the country. They usually take the form of a friendly and sociable day cruise on Saturday. Sunday's activities sometimes include racing for those who want to but others choose cruising as a more relaxed way of spending the day on the water. Workshops, training events and purely cruising weekends are also organized. There is usually a week long event in the summer where the venue is chosen to allow more extended cruising. Places have included; Loch Lomond and Loch Sunart in Scotland, Upper Lough Erne in Northen Ireland and the island of Marstrand, north of Gothenburg, on the west coast of Sweden.

The OCSG provides a forum for the exchange of ideas about technical innovations in canoe sailing.

The Group also publishes a monthly newsletter, the "GOSSIP" which keeps everybody in touch with the latest ideas and developments as well as members' reports on their own equipment and cruises. There is something for everyone who is interested in sailing a canoe whether they are an expert or a complete beginner.

Since October 2009 the group has a page on Facebook, where members can post where and when they are going sailing so that others can join them. Also people will be able to post questions about canoe sailing and get useful answers from our experienced members.

Visit the OCSG Website