Out of Commission

[Greenbare Woods]

Probably actually a lee-board as commonly fitted to sailing barges.

Those big lee boards were much more common on older Dutch sailing vessels.   It was kind of a regional design.

[JOhnGw]

Probably actually a lee-board as commonly fitted to sailing barges.

Those big lee boards were much more common on older Dutch sailing vessels.   It was kind of a regional design.

I think they were common to all North Sea coastal barges.

[Greenbare Woods]

Probably actually a lee-board as commonly fitted to sailing barges.

Those big lee boards were much more common on older Dutch sailing vessels.   It was kind of a regional design.

I think they were common to all North Sea coastal barges.

It was a way for seagoing vessels to also be shallow draught for canal and river travel.  That's quite common in the Netherlands which is why they got that reputation.   Most of the sailing boats may be too big for English canals. 

[JOhnGw]

They were also used on Thames spritsail barges as legs when unloading at wharves which dried at low tide.
The standard crew for a barge such as this one moored at Gravesend where I grew up was two men and a boy although there are documented cases of them being sailed single handed.
The entire rigging could be dropped to deck level in a few minutes to pass under London bridges as far up as Brentford.

You can see more Thames barge pictures by clicking "back to group" in the top left corner.

[Greenbare Woods]

Thanks for the info John.  I wasn't aware of the use of lee boards in English ports and canals.   Makes sense though. 

[jbeegoode]

They were also used on Thames spritsail barges as legs when unloading at wharves which dried at low tide.
The standard crew for a barge such as this one moored at Gravesend where I grew up was two men and a boy although there are documented cases of them being sailed single handed.
The entire rigging could be dropped to deck level in a few minutes to pass under London bridges as far up as Brentford.

You can see more Thames barge pictures by clicking "back to group" in the top left corner.

Wow! That is some tall rigging to come down in minutes! There are so many ingenious mechanical solutions to thing from that era. Having never seen such a craft, I thought I was looking at Chinese junk. I have a miniature at home that is painted very similarly.
Jbee

[eyesup]

Not being a nautical engineer, my guess would be that the size of lee or center board is linked to the total sq. footage of sail. I am just guessing.

I was wondering why would a barge have a sail. Most barges here aren’t powered at all. They’re just large cargo carriers pushed around by tugboats on the lakes or the rivers. But if you want to run one up the coast, I can see why you would need a sail.

Yes, a Chinese junk. Jbee, I thought the same thing when I saw the photos.

Duane

[JOhnGw]

I was wondering why would a barge have a sail. Most barges here aren’t powered at all. They’re just large cargo carriers pushed around by tugboats on the lakes or the rivers.

Duane

The answer is that they date from before the steam engine was invented.
Therse days all the Thames sailing barges, Norfolk wherries and other such boats are all preserved boats owned by one or more enthusiasts.
Inland barges and lighters were hauled by horses on the towpath or else rowed by lightermen - see http://www.pla.co.uk/Events/Thames-Historic-Barge-Driving-Race

[eyesup]

So, most of the sailing barges are old ships from the 19th century?

Duane

[jbeegoode]

Or 18th? How precious are those antiques? Are they reenactments for history, or extremely old?
Jbee

[JOhnGw]

Or 18th? How precious are those antiques? Are they reenactments for history, or extremely old?
Jbee

So, most of the sailing barges are old ships from the 19th century?

Duane

Most of the extent boats are very late 19th and early 20th century. Wooden boats won't last much longer than that. Many of the later boas were built in steel and some of those survive.
Nobody is into re-enactments of history, they just love the practical beauty of these boats and enjoy any opportumit to excercise them.