A TradBoat
Source PageEach year restored Thames Sailing Barges take part in a series of races or barge matches sponsored by the Sailing Barge Association As many as thirty barges may compete in the various classes, including Champion Bowsprit barges, Fast Staysail (no bowsprit) and Slow Staysail classes. There are opportunities to sail in one of these races on board a charter barge, either with the Thames Sailing Barge Trust, or with one of several charter companies. Races are held on Saturdays throughout the summer. More details at Sailing Barge Association
Barge Match Dates 2009.
Medway - 30th May
Blackwater Barge Match, 27th June
Passage Match, 11th July
Pin Mill Barge Match, 18th July
Thames Barge Match,
Swale Match, 15th August
Colne Match, 12th September
To Check dates and for more details and information about where barges can be viewed form shoreside: www.sailingbargeassociation.co.uk
Thames Sailing Barge Special Photo Collection
A collections of detail photographs for use by model makers. Click here
You are welcome to download any of these for your own use, but please do not use them for publication without first contacting TradBoat. Additional photographs are always welcome.
Hosted on the Thames Sailing Barge Trust web site, the Forum is intended for general sailing barge issues - not just the barge club. A useful general site for barge people.
Contact: www.bargetrust.org/forum
Cambria Trust
Dolphin Museum
Venue: Dolphin Yard.
Crown Quay Lane
Sittingbourne, Kent
Open:
Sundays and bank Holidays from Easter to October
Opening Hours:
11am - 5pm
Formerly the yard of Charles Burley. Much authentic material including
tools and rigging. SB "Cambria" is based here - see above..
Contact: John White, Honorary Secretary
5 Cox Road
Alresford, Colchester
Essex CO7 8EJ
Tel: 01206 825317
Web: www.sailingbargeresearch.org.uk
A Society dedicated to researching all aspects of the Thames Sailing Barge including the vessels, the the men who manned them and the ports from which they sailed. The Society publishes regular newsletters. The magazine "Topsail" is published annually and various books on Sailing Barge Research are published through the auspices of the Society. For further details and membership information please visit their website.
Thames Sailing Barge Heritage Centre
Tel: 01621 857567 Web: www.cooksbargeyard.co.ukSB "Glenway" was at Dunkirk
The Centre is based at Maldon Quay aboard SB "Glenway", famous for her exploits at Dunkirk where she was abandoned on the beach, subsequently re-floated and sailed home by a band of soldiers. The Centre tells the story of the Sailing Barge from the early 1800s. There are some pictures in our Photo Collection
Opening Hours
Easter Friday to Sept 30 - Wednesdays - Sundays - 11am-5pm
Winter Weekends Oct - Dec, Sundays 12pm-4pm
Venue
Cooks Barge Yard, The Hythe, Maldon, Essex CM9 5HN
SB "Centaur" on the blocks.
New members with an interest in Thames Barges are
always welcome. The club owns two barges, "Centaur", launched in
1895 and "Pudge", built in 1922. The barges are sailed and kept
shipshape by the members who have the opportunity to learn traditional boat building
and sailing skills. Normally Centaur sails every
weekend whereas Pudge is available to members for charter. Barges sail with qualified crew of skipper and mate, generally on the East
coast, say Lowestoft - Deal.
Winter programme
During the winter members get together for
talks, a photographic competition, to organise open days and to exchange
research into the history of sailing barges. (There is a journal for
historical research and a bi-monthly bulletin.)
Association of Model Barge Owners - AMBO
Model Thames Barge Sailing Championships - (MTBSC)
Treasurer/Membership Secretary:
Mrs Harvey Bittle
3 Spring Vale, Bexley Heath
Kent DA7 6AR
Contact: Richard Chesney
Email: rchesney@tesco.net
Website: www.modelbarge.infoFor more details of the Association, and a list of Classes sailed together with sources of plans for model makers click here
© Charles
Smith Publications 26 Jan 2009
