Dutch Barge experiences?

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SamanthaTabs

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Looking into buying one, there may come a day when we want something easier to handle in our twilight years so would like to get it and kit out properly. Have seen a few that we've both loved, and ok very swmbo'ey I loved the space, ahem..

Considering the sea worthiness of boat, they were designed to sail albeit coastal, rivers and canals. Looking into chartering one for a week or so, shame that all I can find are new boats as my dream barge is an old converted barge.

Anyone know anything about them?

Thanks :)
 
I worked for a season as deckhand on a 38 metre ' Spit ' hotel barge in Burgundy.

Did meet a couple of young guys who'd taken a Luxmotor Dutch barge across the Channel, they said it was the most frightening time in their lives and kept the arced scrape marks described by paintings etc on bulkheads as souvenirs !

The barge I was on was never meant to sail, but still had plenty of ballast, so I presume this Luxmotor must have had this too; I assume you've read ' Narrow Dog To Carcassone ' by Terry Darlington, rather different ( British, narrow ) barge type but a very amusing book.

A lovely way of life if staying on the canals and rivers, you wouldn't need a 38 metre job though surely, there are smaller ones, 38 m of course absolutely fills locks within inches.

Not sure how privately owned vessels do for the occasional haul out, the hotel barges in Burgundy seemed to use St Jean De'Losne as an engineering centre to go to.

Good luck with your dream !
 
I sailed on and off for a few years on a converted steel Dutch Tchalk (?) design barge called Neljan. It was moored up the River Alde at Snape Malting Quay. Very good in the muddy estuaries as it would literally sail over the mud. A bit worrying in a big sea as, being flat bottomed, it shook from end to end when banging through waves. There are ways of working these barges that really need to be learnt. Getting sails up and down ussually takes two people but you dont need to be massively strong, just know the ropes and techniques. Mind you there were no winches on this traditional vessel.
This boat is now sitting by the Tide Mill in Woodbridge looking very sad. It may be worth making contact with the owner as I believe he has no time for it anymore. Being mostly steel the hull, etc is still in good order and the internals, although possibly a little dated, were always very homely.
I can do some digging if you PM me. Malcolm
Also helped take a commercial barge full of soy beans from Rottedam to Lille. Fab experience motoring through the fields. Very slow and gentle pace and similar from the wheel!
 
Seashoreman said:
I sailed on and off for a few years on a converted steel Dutch Tchalk (?) design barge called Neljan. It was moored up the River Alde at Snape Malting Quay. Very good in the muddy estuaries as it would literally sail over the mud. A bit worrying in a big sea as, being flat bottomed, it shook from end to end when banging through waves. There are ways of working these barges that really need to be learnt. Getting sails up and down ussually takes two people but you dont need to be massively strong, just know the ropes and techniques. Mind you there were no winches on this traditional vessel.
This boat is now sitting by the Tide Mill in Woodbridge looking very sad. It may be worth making contact with the owner as I believe he has no time for it anymore. Being mostly steel the hull, etc is still in good order and the internals, although possibly a little dated, were always very homely.
I can do some digging if you PM me. Malcolm
Also helped take a commercial barge full of soy beans from Rottedam to Lille. Fab experience motoring through the fields. Very slow and gentle pace and similar from the wheel!
Click to expand...

She still has her original engine ( Bollinder ????) that sounds wonderful
 
My in laws live on a converted 128 year old 68' Dutch Tjalk barge on the river Stour. The space inside is wonderful. My husband brought it over the channel 20 odd years ago and didn't enjoy the experience, okay when it was flat but that's not often the case.
 
Edit...... Pipped to the post......

You probably caught snatches of the 'Somewhere at Sea' series with Timothy and Shane Spall as they took their Dutch barge round Britain. From recollection the boat was a 'sea going' design but they had to pick the weather windows very carefully. Great for slow journeys through the European navigations.
 
SamanthaTabs said:
Looking into buying one, there may come a day when we want something easier to handle in our twilight years so would like to get it and kit out properly. Have seen a few that we've both loved, and ok very swmbo'ey I loved the space, ahem..

Considering the sea worthiness of boat, they were designed to sail albeit coastal, rivers and canals. Looking into chartering one for a week or so, shame that all I can find are new boats as my dream barge is an old converted barge.

Anyone know anything about them?

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

I've skippered a Thames Barge.
Very roomy, stable & can't really sail to windward, but not designed to do so.
 
Not a semi diesel Bolinder then:) Glennifer, Kelvin, BMC(no not that one), Krommhaut or even a Gardner although I doubt it. A new game on here perhaps? name that engine.
 
tillergirl said:
Bolinder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ4ORUZ41K0 Makes you wonder what is happening inside.
Click to expand...

Sounds like it's one of those old engines that cuts the spark (in the case of petrol) or drops the decompressor (in the case of diesel) to regulate the speed via the govenor. So when lightly loaded, they fire for a couple of revs, then idle for a few revs as the flywheel slows down.
 
SamanthaTabs said:
Genuine thanks for the replies, the Boss will pm you Malcolm. Sounds right up his street!

Very excited, anyone want to buy a catamaran? :)
Click to expand...

I would just like to say this is what happens when you are feeling mellow one evening and casually mention to SWMBO that, perhaps, one day, in many years time a Dutch barge might be fun instead of sailing and enable us to explore the European canals and rivers.

The catamaran is not for sale!

Rookie mistake
 
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