London River

[Wansworth]

View of Thames showing Thames barge with lug rig?

 

[Grumpybear]

produced for a railway's advertising department?? Accuracy guaranteed!

 

[Poignard]

View of Thames showing Thames barge with lug rig?

If you look closely you can see that the mainmast and sprit have been lowered to enable the barge to get under the bridges. The lugsail (aka bridge sail) was temporarily set, if necessary, to give her steerage way.

 

[Wansworth]

If you look closely you can see that the mainmast and sprit have been lowered to enable the barge to get under the bridges. The lugsail (aka bridge sail) was temporarily set, if necessary, to give her steerage way.

Thats what I thought as well,never heard of that idea though,interesting.One old barge man told me that once the mast was lowered it was best not to touch anything so in theory it all went bup without a hitch!

 

[Poignard]

It's all described, with photos, in 'Sailing Barges' by F.G.G.Carr.

Worth buying if you're interested in sailing barges

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/sailing-barges/author/frank-carr/sortby/3/