Barge plans

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by shaun971, Nov 1, 2006.

  1. shaun971
    Joined: Oct 2006
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    shaun971 New Member

    Help. can anyone tell me where i can get hold of a set of build plans for a dutch barge or simalar to be used as a liveaboard and for traveling around uk and europe. I have tried many many web sites but to no avail.
     
  2. Leo Gramps
    Joined: May 2005
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    Leo Gramps Naval Architect

    Shaun971,

    I have been designing, surveying and overseeing construction on barges similar to your needs for some years now. Please contact me off forum and I am sure I can assist you.

    You can find me in the Designers Directory under my company Westbrook Marine Projects Ltd. I am based in the UK and am fully conversant with all the relevant design Codes of Practice.

    Good Luck
     
  3. Greenseas2
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    Greenseas2 Senior Member

    Dutch Barge type plans

    Selway Fisher in the UK has 2 nice barge plans. One is for a 45 foot barge and I believe the other is a 32 foot barge. The nice feature about the constructuion is that it is done with strip planking. Both have adequate accommodations for long distance cruising and living aboard. As I understand it, Selway Fisher is also designing a Dutch Barge to be built in steel. Check out the Selway Fisher Designs website.
     
  4. nickbranson
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    nickbranson Branson Boat Design

    Dutch Barge Kits

    [​IMG]

    Why not use a pre cut steel kit? Here at Branson Boats have a range of Dutch Barge kits along with passagemakers and Trawler yachts. Have recently changed the website address to www.dutch-barges.net

    Nick
     
  5. Greenseas2
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    Greenseas2 Senior Member

    Production boat costs

    In starting this thread, the initial intent was to foster some ideas on Dutch Barge design that would enable laymen to build their own. All of the recommended designs from Branson are great. Preliminarily, the use of the barge would be to inland waters with only short offshore excursions in flat calm conditions. I'm relatively sure that the early designers of powered motor barges had the same intent. In assessing building materials for the hull, I would suggest strip plank and epoxy to make a strong and fair hull. Topsides would also be composite and made of high grade ply that is coated with epoxy on all exposed surfaces. Something of this nature could be made at reasonable cost and by semi-skilled individuals. The Selway Fisher Barge design is a good example; however, it isn't a Dutch barge configuration and I've never heard or have been able to find any history of a Teign River gravel barge that the design is meant to represent.

    Dutch barges seem to be among the best vessels for live aboard uses as well as relatively slow travel at modest economical power. Somewhere out there is a DIY Dutch barge design for the little guy/gal.
     
  6. bdillahu
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    bdillahu New Member

    There must be... but I haven't found it yet :)

    Bruce
     
  7. Pericles
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    Pericles Senior Member

  8. cac
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    cac Junior Member

    Thanks, but...

    Thanks Pericles,

    I appreciate the links.

    Here's my collection so far:

    http://www.craftacraft.com/taxonomy/term/29

    http://del.icio.us/bdillahu/dutch_barge

    I guess I wasn't clear enough in my desires... the DIY is high up my list. It looks like there would be plans available for hull building. There are readily available plans for all types of craft that have complex curves, etc. When we get to a design that looks like is just made for plywood construction (or obviously simple plate steel), the only publically available plans I've really found are the Selway-Fisher ones. Other companies offer plans (Euroships, Branson), but they are significant investments. I'm not saying their plans are great, and the designs are obviously very nice... I'm just surprised that some of the other plan providors haven't jumped into this area.
     
  9. Pericles
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    Pericles Senior Member

    DIY Dutch Barge

    Narrowboats are 7 feet wide or 6' 10" to guarantee passage throughout all UK canals. Most of the hull could be erected as stitch and glue, cold moulded to 2" for the hull and 1" for the superstructure, to create a monocoque structure. The cruiser stern is formed thus http://www.devlinboat.com/constructionsockeye45.htm

    and the bow shaped with veneers cut from marine ply and epoxy resined in place over formers http://www.glen-l.com/designs/inboard/dsn-mtca.html or do it like this. http://fishyfish.com/adam_kondrashoff/index.html

    You can check the scantlings here. http://www.macnaughtongroup.com/publishingown.htm

    It is probable that the RCD Category C requirement is responsible for the dearth of plans http://www.rbbi.com/folders/cemark/cemark.htm#clarke

    Pericles

    Extract:

    # Narrowboats come under the design category 'Sheltered waters' - Designed for voyages on small lakes, rivers, and canals where conditions up to, and including, wind force 4 (Beaufort scale) and significant wave heights up to, and including, 0.5 m may be experienced.
    # The requirement to meet 0.5m significant wave height, I believe, is onerous. By definition, the term significant wave height means the average amplitude of 1/3 highest waves and is used because wave motion is a (long-crested) irregular wave system. With a 0.5m significant wave height, approximately 5% of the waves encountered can be expected to be greater than 1m, i.e. greater than 2m crest to trough.

    If I were to consider crossing the Channel I'd construct a pair of disposable amas and make the passage as a trimaran with all hatches battened down. :D :D :D
     
  10. cac
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    cac Junior Member

    Thanks... you know, you may just prompt me back into the "self-design" world :) I started down that path a while back, then backed out... but it (for this type craft) just couldn't be that difficult.

    You probably have a point about the RCD requirements, but since I'm in the US, I can ignore that :)

    Bruce
     
  11. Crag Cay
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    Crag Cay Senior Member

    When considerig a suitable design or construction material, don't overlook how rough life in the canals can be. Everything you will bump into (including other boats) are all built to commercial, solid, unforgiving standards. You wont find many floating marina docks with lots of fenders.

    Most boats 'bash' their way through the canals, bouncing off all and sundry, and that includes you if you are near them. Everything is constructed on the assumption that iron and steel boats are the norm. You will hit bottom from time to time, typically with any chines you might have below the water line grinding on the rock 'rip rap' that lines the canal edges, as you move over to allow several hundred tons of commercial barge to zip past. Despite a 'no wake' rule, you will have to be able to survive being thrown against underwater obstacles by these boats' hefty wash.

    Nursing a fibreglass or wooden yacht through the canals can be a stressful activity. Inflatable fenders don't last very long and using old tyres is discouraged as they can be ripped off their lines (or dropped) and then they sink and block the lock gate mechanisms.

    But by knowing you are at least as tough as what's around you, by having a well protected prop with good access so you can remove the inevitable shopping trolley from it and by having large bomb proof mooring bits, are some of the best ways of relaxing and hence being able to enjoy some of the world's best cruising waters.
     
  12. Greenseas2
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    Greenseas2 Senior Member

    Barge Hull construction

    Crag has a point about the need for toughness in a hull that is intended for UK canals: however, even the first narrow boats were made of wood. I also believe that the "barge" design desire for full time liveability and travel is somewhat like the Dutch barges and similar variations rather than a narrow boat. The basic criteria is large volume and low, economical power as well as moderate to low construction costs.
     
  13. cac
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    cac Junior Member

    All good points... I'm just aiming for a slightly different use :)

    I want a European "looking" barge craft, with some of those design elements, but for use on the US rivers/waterways. Still protected waters, etc. but not the (in general) rigors of the UK canals. That's one reason I like the Dutch barge designs (wider, a bit more wave capacity) than the strict English narrowboats.

    Anyway, I appreciate everybody chiming in!

    Bruce
     

  14. Pericles
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    Pericles Senior Member

    The 90 degree chines could shaped at 45 degrees from a shallow 6 degree V hull bottom. Extra layers of marine ply could be added to critical areas with heavy glass cloth laminated over. I believe GRP weighs about 200 lbs per cubic foot. Aluminium weight 168 lbs per cubic foot. Marine ply/epoxy/glass composite is 50 lbs per cubic foot. Thus, if you build a composite vessel to the same strength and stiffness as GRP or Ally, then it will weigh much less. If you build all three types of boat, to the same weight. the composite boat should be three to four times tougher.:idea: :idea:

    As for those ill mannered steel craft, if they come that close, I board them with my cutlass and flintlock pistols, kill all the men and **** their women.:D :D :D :D

    Pericles
     
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