Ocean going barges

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My son-in-law, who is a very capable inland boat builder is thinking about building a barge and sailing it around the med to the Ionian. As a yachtie this fills me with concern as I can't see how a boat, heavy as it might be (50 tons), with a shallow draft for canal use will stand up to open seas.

Am I worrying unduly?
Are there ocean going barges regularly sailing the high seas?
Are there problems with VAT when a home build enters another EEC country?
Has anyone else sailed something similar?


Any help, comments etc would be most welcome.

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[Althorne]

IMHO if he is as capable as you say he will research the project properly and build the right type of craft. Depending on it's size I'm not sure what relevence the extimated 50 tons makes and there are plenty of "barges" still plying the canals and coastal waters of Britain and Europe as leisure and working craft. Until such time as he has settles on a design, which I hope is to be professionally drawn and overseen I think you are worrying unnecessaryly.
VAT can be proven by keeping all building receipts and documents, which he will have to carry with him but I'm not sure how he gets on with RCD?
I built a 45' Trawler yacht in steel some years ago and it now lives in Turkey. If I can do it anyone can.

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[Sea Devil]

A very long time ago I considered buying a sailing barge for the oceans - a knowageable bargee explained that barges are not designed to withstand constantly having the bows on one wave and stern on another and nothing inbetween - You tend not to get this in coastal waters...

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[bedouin]

I moored next to a similar beast in Haslar a couple of weeks ago. That was a conversion of a sailing barge which had been given a long, shallow keel to replace the lea-boards.

Clearly such a vessel will not go to windward particularly well, and can get knocked back by seas on the bows, but no reason to worry about the seaworthiness if it is well built

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