Dutch Barge long distance cruisers

I bit the bullet and did it right. I cut out a 15' x 13' of the forward hold where the steel was corroded and cut back to good steel then put new beams and plate then reglassed the outside back up. The glass does bond to the steel long term at least untill water gets in then it causes corrosion and it delaminates. The plan is to monitor the glass and patch it whenever i sound the hull and detect any hollowness. That is an indication of water/corrosion inside the glass.

 

I am definately purchasing the boat. That's in process right now. Looks like at least for a while I am going to keep the hulls together and use it as a working boat. I am going to put a hydraulic log loader on it and use it to do log clean up (a huge issue on my lake from stream flooding out of the mtns) on the lake.
Thanks for asking. No doubt, I'll be posting other questions a I get it all together.
~martin

 

Norfolk Wherries (sailing canal boats)

Haven't had time to really explore this subject thread, although it is a subject that's always interested me. Just ran across this interesting info posted by a fellow Perciles back in Feb.....

Norfolk Wherries.
The mast is pivoted within a substantial tabernacle and is fitted with a large counterbalance weight at the bottom. This enables the wherry to lower the mast for passing under bridges. The mast can be dropped, the wherry continues forward under its momentum and the mast is raised again on the far side by the crew of two. If there is no wind, or for maneuvering, quaint poles are used to push the wherry.

Norfolk Wherries
http://www.horning.org.uk/stylegallery.php?page=wherry&menu=style4

 

Mast on a Dutch style barge

In this day of high fuel prices, any supplemental propulsion system that doesn't use fuel is welcome whether it's sail, poling or sculling. Naval Architect Phillip Bolger has a good simple design for a counter balanced mast that can be operated by one person. The thrust behind Dutch style barges as long distance cruisers is to provide a live aboard vessel with sufficient space for most normal live aboard functions that would be comfortable for an individual, couple or small family while also providing economical power and tankage for long distance cruising on relatively quiet waters. The Dutch style barge just happens to be the design that capitalizes on space, economy of construction and operation due to hull speed as it relates to waterline length with low power requirement
Your idea of mounting a mast that can be lowered for bridges is a good one. The mast, when upright, can also be rigged to lift a dinghhy or gang plank onboard.
Recently there have been several designs for Dutch style barges that can be economically built with plywood, then encapsulated in fiberglass. Selway Fisher Designs has a few nice live aboards on the order that we are looking for, and ones that can be built for a fraction of the cost of a steel vessel. Upgrading an existing steel barge is also quite expensive.
It is felt that, due to the extremely high cost of new homes, the high cost of taxes and the high cost of home owner insurance and utilities, the Dutch style barges may offer families a method to build their own home with a relocation capability at a reasonably low price.

 

Building a model first

As with any boat design and construction plan, first design the boat that you want, then build a model. Especially with composite or fiberglass-over-plywood boat, you can learn a lot about the construction and building techniques by building a model. The lessons a valuable in speeding up construction and avoiding mistakes found in building the model. A four foot model should be large enough to make all of the internal accommodation fit out build-in features to include block tank, etc. Good material for model construction is door skin and it will float if all surfaces are coated with epoxy resin first.

 

Here's the story about the creation of narrowboat NB Hadar, right from the marking of the steel. http://www.hadar.org.uk/

You'll have to scroll back through 5 older pages, but it's worth the journey along some English canals. Plenty of photographs. As of yesterday they were in Ruislip, which is where my family and I live at present, though not on the Grand Union canal.

http://www.ukcanals.net/iwmap.pdf

Perry

 

Narrowboats

I've often wanted to rent a narrowboat and travel the canals in the UK. I've also studied your canal system in detail and searched for blue prints and construction plans for the 66 foot Clyde Puffer. A modernized Puffer would be ideal for island cargo trade in the Bahamas and Caribbean being that they can operate without port facilities, are economical and can ground on flat bottoms much as they did in Scotland and Ireland. I fear that a narrowboat is limited to British canals in that wakes from large high speed vessel would make operation in open water somewhat dangerous.

 

COMPOSITE EASY TO BUILD DUTCH BARGE
We have finally developed a Dutch style barge that can be built of plywood, fiberglass cloth and epoxy. It is as aesthetically pretty as any Dutch Luxemotor, has a nice sheer line, tunblehome stern and is designed in direct proportion to other manufactured barges. Where we have departed from the norm is in the beam of the vessel. Being that most marinas charge slip fees by the linear foot, we have expanded the beam to compensate for a shorter length, but without impacting cruising performance. The additional beam also provides stability for the higher Dutch style pilot house. The barge is well within the dimensions and simplicity of construction to be built by amateurs. The vessel is 32'6" LOA, 14'8" beam and draft of 18". She is flat bottomed which should allow her to anchor in areas where most 33 footers would be hard aground. The flat bottom also makes for ease of construction. The barge is powered by a 35 - 40 hp diesel which will provide 5.5 knots at cruise speed and consume little fuel. The vessel has all of the live aboard amenities needed for a family. There are 2 separate sleeping cabins with real queen size beds. A head with shower, galley, salon with heater. dining area below and in the real Dutch style wheel house. Plans for the boat should be available some time around October, 2008.

 

Question? Will she still fit thru the canals of Europe with this new beam dimension?

 

yes, most canals she easely will, i would be more concerned powering upstream rivers. second question: any drawings or pics ?

 

We will have full scale drawings and pics of a model sometime in the fall. Currently the drawings are being done in CAD where all parts are laid out flat for templates including the round tumblehome stern parts. Essentially, in the United States there are no Dutch style barges and this one is designed for amateur building and specifically for the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway, rivers and the New York and other larger canal systems rather than European canals. For power we suggest a transmission of at least 2:1 with a somewhat larger 3 blade prop to handle currents found in most U.S. rivers and inlets. The boat isn't designed to be fast, but rather cover significant distances economically. At this point we feel that it is better to have construction plans that are easily understood rather than rush the process.

 

The boat isn't designed to be fast, but rather cover significant distances economically

If it wont run 6K+ the ICW would be "Much Unfun".

The Hudson runs 2 or 3K , so planning with even a 6K boat may make a 120 mile jaunt take all week depending on tides and sunrise.

FF

 

Rivers

Hi Fred,
I've been up and down the Hudson many times....under sail as well as power. I'm not looking for speed in this design but if someone wants to put in a big fuel burner they are welcome to it. If you cruise near the shore you are out of the strongest part of the current until you reach the venturi at West Point. (Taught sailing and Satellite Communication electronic at WP) The idea of the design is low and slow with your whole house and worldly possessions onboard and time really isn't that significant. Also, I wouldn't hesitate to take the boat through Hell Gate either. Name of this tune is geared down shaft with a good 3 blade power prop. The only speed any Dutch barge makes is down stream.

 

14'3" is about the max permitted beam on the UK canals.

http://www.ukcanals.net/craftsize.pdf

Take a look at the Leeds-Liverpool as an example of a UK canal.

 

Width for canal travel

Brian, unfortunately a Dutch Barge of these dimensions probably won't fit in canals designed for narrowboats. The thrust of working and developing this design effort is to promote Dutch style Barges on U.S. waterways. The best method to accomplish the effort is to design and build a vessel that can be built and operated by amateur builders. When the actual barge is completed along with easy to understand building plans and templates, the next logical step is to advertise the boat at the many large boat shows on the US Gulf and East coasts. I am not trying to slight Europeans who might want to build the vessel, but the primary objective is for the Intracoastal waterways, rivers and canals here in the United States. Europe has many fine builders of Dutch style barges, here we have none. If history serves me, I believe that Clyde Puffers used to navigate the Leeds Canal, and their beam was considerably greater than this design. I thank you for your interest.