|
Motor
is more practical for most peoples needs.
-
More usable
interior space per foot of barge
-
Reduced
maintenance / upkeep costs (masts, sails and rigging wears out and
is expensive).
-
Better
suited for
UK
inland canals, many of which have low bridges
necessitating lowering of mast, but with associated sail rigging
getting in the way of line of sight etc. Even with mast lowered,
the air draft will likely be greater. restricting canal
navigational
range.
-
No
sailing skills required! .
Choose
sail if:-
-
You wish to
explore further a field than the UK and continental European
waterways
-
Want to have
a little fun but willing to compromise on living accommodation
-
Wish to have
an even more impressive looking and admired barge
Many of the
old Dutch Barges originated as sailing barges, built to transport cargos
of coal, crops, oil etc along the continental canals, most have been
converted to powered pleasure, but some, mainly Tjalk design, remain as
sail. There is something about the old Tjalk sailing barges. The more we
look at them, the more we like them. The downside is they are not so
practical as a live aboard (generally interior height of less than six
feet, with less living room space per metre of boat length, and with no
wheelhouse), and with much higher upkeep and maintenance costs (sails
masts and rigging are not cheap!).
There are
also very few around for sale, so it could take a long time to find one
that exactly meets your requirements. And if, like us, you are looking
for a barge with solid hull and deck construction, modern powerful
engine, good working sails and rigging but with empty interior, ready to
start on a fit-out, then be prepared for a very very long wait. I am not
sure that you will ever find a barge fitting this requirement.
To our knowledge,
nobody builds new sailing Tjalk's in the UK or even any type of Dutch sailing
Barge design, so old is the only option, unless buying from the
Continent, where there is one company fabricating sailing vessels, but
at a relatively costly price. There are a couple of
fabricators however that do build sailing barges. See 'New Build
Fabricators' - Companies
fabricating replica Dutch Barge and wide beam.
<<<
Previous Page
Next Page
>>> (comparisons to a narrowboat?)
Last
updated
31 January 2012
|