The Barbados Cruising Club (BCC) is a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to create a place for all people in Barbados to enjoy sailing, water sports and the beach. Its membership is open to all, and it is run by a committee of volunteers.

It was founded by Ian Gale, of The Barbados Advocate newspaper, in October 1957. It was founded in response to restrictive membership practices at the neighbouring Barbados Yacht Club. Founding members included a Who’s Who of Bajan society, most notably the Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, who led Barbados to independence from Britain after completing his term as the first club treasurer in 1966, becoming the island’s first Prime Minister.

The Club is located on Pebbles Beach in Carlisle Bay, on the beachfront, which was once part of the hugely popular Barbados Aquatic Club (now the Radisson Hotel).

Because of the great sailing conditions, beautiful beaches and crystal blue waters, yachting, sailing and watersports are steadily becoming mainstream in Barbados, especially with the Club’s introduction of the annual Barbados Sailing Week with the Round Barbados annual sailing race that attracts competitors from all over the world.

The Cruising Club is now a lively south coast community with regular beach activities, sailing and social events. Although our decor has changed and our facilities have been improved, the core values and aims of the Club remain the same. We are an inclusive Club that has not refused membership to any applicant. We recognise the special place that Errol Barrow holds in our history through the names “Dippers” and “the Skipper”, his nicknames, and by hosting The Mount Gay Rum Round Barbados Race on Errol Barrow Day on January 21st each year.

With a vibrant new Committee elected in November 2019, the Club is dealing effectively with the many challenges of the last three years, including the unexpected and damaging COVID-19 global pandemic. We look forward to further growth and stability in the future and to serving our members with our trade-mark-friendly excellence.