Thames sailing barge

The distinctive sailing barges that were once a common sight on London's River Thames, were commercial craft relying on sail power alone. They were perfectly adapted to the relatively sheltered Thames Estuary with its shallow waters and narrow rivers, although many traded much further afield, to the north of England, the South Coast and even to continental European ports. Cargoes varied enormously: bricks, mud, hay, rubbish, sand, coal and grain, for example. Due to the efficiency of a Thames Barges gear, a crew of only two sufficed for most voyages, although by today's standards it would have been hard physical work at times.

They are usually spritsail rigged on two masts. Most had a topsail above the huge mainsail and a large foresail. The mizen was a much smaller mast on which was set a single sail whose main purpose was to aid steering when tacking. Sail areas varied from 3000 to 5000 square feet (300 to 500 m²) depending on the size of the barge. Due to the dressing used to waterproof the flax sails, they were typically an attractive rusty-red colour. No auxiliary power was used originally but many barges were fitted with engines in the later years.

Their heyday came at the turn of the last century when over 2000 were on the registry. The 20th century saw a steady decline in their numbers until, in 1969, the last of them to trade under sail - the Cambria - carried her final freight. Today, a small number remain, converted to pleasure craft and commonly sailed in the annual races which take place in the Thames Estuary. These survivors have an enthusiastic following: [1]

The vast majority were wooden hulled (although a significant number were also built in steel), between 80 and 90 feet (25 to 30 m) long with a beam of around 20 feet (6 m). The hull form was as distinctive as their rig, being flat-bottomed with a degree of flair to the sides, plumb ends, the stern being a champagne glass section transom on which was hung a large rudder. The hull was mainly a hold with two small living areas in the bow and stern and access was through two large hatchways, the smaller before the main mast and a much larger aperture behind.

The flat-bottomed hull was one of the features which made these caft so versatile and economical. For a start, they could float in as little as 3 feet (1 m) of water and they could dry out in the tidal waters without heeling over. This allowed them to visit the narrow tributaries and creeks of the Thames to load farm cargoes or to dry out on the sand banks and mudflats to load these materials for building and brickmaking. It was no coincidence that their heyday occurred during a period of when London expanded rapidly. Furthermore, unlike most sailing craft, these barges could sail completely unballasted - a major saving in labour and time.

Their sailing performance was perfected due to the annual 'Matches' in which individual craft competed for trophies and cash prizes. In good conditions, these craft can attain speeds over 12 knots, and their 'leeboards' (a form of drop-keel) allows them to be highly effective windward performers. The unusual sprits'l rig allows any combination of sails to be set, even the topsail on its own is effective in some conditions.

See also: Thames sailing barge, Barque, Barquentine, Bilander, Brig, Brigantine, Caravel, Carrack