Liveaboard barge - Seaworthy or not?
Discussion
There's quite a few liveaboards on the East coast but can't ever remember seeing one of the liveaboard conversions of somthing like a 70 to 90 foot Luxemotor or Shear barge actually being used out at sea.
I'm not thinking of crossing the Channel in a F8 storm in one but wondering if a little coastal work or Channel crossing to France or Holland to get into the canals in reasonable weather is practical and safe. If so is the usual 80 to 120 BHP engine that's fitted enough to cope - I'd thought that ammount of power would not be anywhere enough in somthing that weighs 70 or 80 tons if the weather got lively.
I know these are really designed for canal and river work and might be loaded up to the max when used commercially but has anybody got any idea of how seaworthy these barges actually become when probrably a long way under maximium weight as a liveaboard?
Guessing a 120 BHP engine would use maybe 10/12 litres an hour and push a barge along at somthing between 4-6 knots in a reasonable calm - does this sound about right?
Just toying with ideas at the 'mo, but any thoughts or experiences appreciated.
I'm not thinking of crossing the Channel in a F8 storm in one but wondering if a little coastal work or Channel crossing to France or Holland to get into the canals in reasonable weather is practical and safe. If so is the usual 80 to 120 BHP engine that's fitted enough to cope - I'd thought that ammount of power would not be anywhere enough in somthing that weighs 70 or 80 tons if the weather got lively.
I know these are really designed for canal and river work and might be loaded up to the max when used commercially but has anybody got any idea of how seaworthy these barges actually become when probrably a long way under maximium weight as a liveaboard?
Guessing a 120 BHP engine would use maybe 10/12 litres an hour and push a barge along at somthing between 4-6 knots in a reasonable calm - does this sound about right?
Just toying with ideas at the 'mo, but any thoughts or experiences appreciated.
Jaguar steve said:
There's quite a few liveaboards on the East coast but can't ever remember seeing one of the liveaboard conversions of somthing like a 70 to 90 foot Luxemotor or Shear barge actually being used out at sea.
I'm not thinking of crossing the Channel in a F8 storm in one but wondering if a little coastal work or Channel crossing to France or Holland to get into the canals in reasonable weather is practical and safe. If so is the usual 80 to 120 BHP engine that's fitted enough to cope - I'd thought that ammount of power would not be anywhere enough in somthing that weighs 70 or 80 tons if the weather got lively.
I know these are really designed for canal and river work and might be loaded up to the max when used commercially but has anybody got any idea of how seaworthy these barges actually become when probrably a long way under maximium weight as a liveaboard?
Guessing a 120 BHP engine would use maybe 10/12 litres an hour and push a barge along at somthing between 4-6 knots in a reasonable calm - does this sound about right?
Just toying with ideas at the 'mo, but any thoughts or experiences appreciated.
I'm not thinking of crossing the Channel in a F8 storm in one but wondering if a little coastal work or Channel crossing to France or Holland to get into the canals in reasonable weather is practical and safe. If so is the usual 80 to 120 BHP engine that's fitted enough to cope - I'd thought that ammount of power would not be anywhere enough in somthing that weighs 70 or 80 tons if the weather got lively.
I know these are really designed for canal and river work and might be loaded up to the max when used commercially but has anybody got any idea of how seaworthy these barges actually become when probrably a long way under maximium weight as a liveaboard?
Guessing a 120 BHP engine would use maybe 10/12 litres an hour and push a barge along at somthing between 4-6 knots in a reasonable calm - does this sound about right?
Just toying with ideas at the 'mo, but any thoughts or experiences appreciated.
- THE END OF THE WORLD* After reading his tea leaves, Dougie predicts doom and disaster for those on board the Vital Spark and soon it looks like his predictions are coming true.
Oh do behave.. that's not quite the barge I had in mind.. 
There was a series on Discovery a few years ago in which a couple took their narrowboat across the channel, most people said it couldn't be done but they did it and spent time on the canals of France
There is also a barge moored up on the River Hamble but not too sure how it got there, probably by crane!!
There is also a barge moored up on the River Hamble but not too sure how it got there, probably by crane!!
spdpug98 said:
There was a series on Discovery a few years ago in which a couple took their narrowboat across the channel, most people said it couldn't be done but they did it and spent time on the canals of France
There is also a barge moored up on the River Hamble but not too sure how it got there, probably by crane!!
ETA: You can just ignore my post as it has nothing to do with the type of barge you are talking about!!!There is also a barge moored up on the River Hamble but not too sure how it got there, probably by crane!!
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
Something like this one ?
http://www.five.tv/programmes/lifestyle/build-a-ne...
On Demand Live Streaming
It was on the other night, and the end results were very nice.
Ignore the page of Waffle around the On demand screen, Channel 5 have fluffed it up.
Yup, that's the one. Plans for doing similar ourselves have been kicking around for a couple of years now. Had though about a narrow boat on the canal system, but really would like the capability of a bit of coastal travel and european cruising too. Watched the programme ourselves too and heard the owners were planning to cruise to France - which got me wondering how seaworthy these barges are.http://www.five.tv/programmes/lifestyle/build-a-ne...
On Demand Live Streaming
It was on the other night, and the end results were very nice.
Ignore the page of Waffle around the On demand screen, Channel 5 have fluffed it up.
Jaguar steve said:
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
Something like this one ?
http://www.five.tv/programmes/lifestyle/build-a-ne...
On Demand Live Streaming
It was on the other night, and the end results were very nice.
Ignore the page of Waffle around the On demand screen, Channel 5 have fluffed it up.
Yup, that's the one. Plans for doing similar ourselves have been kicking around for a couple of years now. Had though about a narrow boat on the canal system, but really would like the capability of a bit of coastal travel and european cruising too. Watched the programme ourselves too and heard the owners were planning to cruise to France - which got me wondering how seaworthy these barges are.http://www.five.tv/programmes/lifestyle/build-a-ne...
On Demand Live Streaming
It was on the other night, and the end results were very nice.
Ignore the page of Waffle around the On demand screen, Channel 5 have fluffed it up.
The people who took a narrowboat across to France (which they wrote a book about "Narrow Dog to Carcassone") were pretty brave in my opinion. They had to make quite a few safety modifications to it before they went from recollection. No hire fleet in the country will allow its narrowboats onto tidal waters without some quite strict requirements about safety etc, and certainly wouldn't let them on coastal waters.
Nevin said:
The people who took a narrowboat across to France (which they wrote a book about "Narrow Dog to Carcassone") were pretty brave in my opinion. They had to make quite a few safety modifications to it before they went from recollection. No hire fleet in the country will allow its narrowboats onto tidal waters without some quite strict requirements about safety etc, and certainly wouldn't let them on coastal waters.
There's a trip you can make from the Thames to the Medway I think. Don't fancy it myself; I like to be within jumping distance of dry land! Yeah I know some people that have done this in narrowboats. I watched their video, it wasn't for me 
I took a narrowboat down to the Thames Barrier once and that was scary enough, hell, even the Pool of London at midday is scary enough on a narrowboat 
I live in a flat overlooking the Thames at Gravesend and I see 286 metre ships on a daily basis going to and from Tilbury Docks as well as the constant to-ing and fro-ing of the tugs at speed. The wash these create is pretty big. I watched a narrowboat tie up to a buoy overnight whilst waiting for high tide to allow him to come into the non-tidal basin here and he was being rocked about all over the place. Most narrowboats only have a couple of feet draught at the stern and are flat bottomed so they rock really badly when hit side on by wash. Friends of mine sat out there on their Dutch barge whilst waiting for the lock and they got hit side on by the wash from a 286 metre ship, they definitely had a brown trouser moment This is the same chap that took his narrowboat down to the Medway.
The thing is with the Thames is that it looks pretty innocuous from the shore, it's only when you get out there on a small boat that the speed of the tide and the choppiness really become apparent.
I took a narrowboat down to the Thames Barrier once and that was scary enough, hell, even the Pool of London at midday is scary enough on a narrowboat I live in a flat overlooking the Thames at Gravesend and I see 286 metre ships on a daily basis going to and from Tilbury Docks as well as the constant to-ing and fro-ing of the tugs at speed. The wash these create is pretty big. I watched a narrowboat tie up to a buoy overnight whilst waiting for high tide to allow him to come into the non-tidal basin here and he was being rocked about all over the place. Most narrowboats only have a couple of feet draught at the stern and are flat bottomed so they rock really badly when hit side on by wash. Friends of mine sat out there on their Dutch barge whilst waiting for the lock and they got hit side on by the wash from a 286 metre ship, they definitely had a brown trouser moment
This is the same chap that took his narrowboat down to the Medway.The thing is with the Thames is that it looks pretty innocuous from the shore, it's only when you get out there on a small boat that the speed of the tide and the choppiness really become apparent.
Have you seen this thread?
I know it's a US site, sort of, so there is a fair bit of bs talked at times, but worth a look I'd suggest.
Must admit your plan is a reasonable one when Winky has squeezed and the pips can squeak no more, ie f off into the sunset.
This is up for sale and I suspect is the one featured at launch in one of the Waterworld series.
I know it's a US site, sort of, so there is a fair bit of bs talked at times, but worth a look I'd suggest.
Must admit your plan is a reasonable one when Winky has squeezed and the pips can squeak no more, ie f off into the sunset.
This is up for sale and I suspect is the one featured at launch in one of the Waterworld series.
Brother in Law has a 1914 Humber Sloop Nr Hull and has just returned from a trip to Rotterdam. Several trips up and down the coast also in the last few years so dependant on what ship you choose anything is possible with good planning. www.spidert.co.uk Check out the interior.
F i F said:
Have you seen this thread?
I know it's a US site, sort of, so there is a fair bit of bs talked at times, but worth a look I'd suggest.
Must admit your plan is a reasonable one when Winky has squeezed and the pips can squeak no more, ie f off into the sunset.
This is up for sale and I suspect is the one featured at launch in one of the Waterworld series.
Newbuildbarges.co.uk. Found this which answers most of the questions - seems most bigger barges are rated cat C which is OK up to about F6 and 2m wave height. More than enough for a channel crossing with a reasonable forecast. Mrs JSs usually starts reviewing lunch at around that point if those conditions persist for any length of time so that's the limit.I know it's a US site, sort of, so there is a fair bit of bs talked at times, but worth a look I'd suggest.
Must admit your plan is a reasonable one when Winky has squeezed and the pips can squeak no more, ie f off into the sunset.
This is up for sale and I suspect is the one featured at launch in one of the Waterworld series.
Looks like barge liveaboard is certainly possible - but not as cheap as I thought, mooring fees stsrt at around £2000 and fuel consumption is between 6 -12 l/hour.
The couple that did the narrowboat across the channel did a later trip with the same narrowboat where they had it shipped to the USA then toured the American Waterways!
http://www.narrowdog.com/usmap.htm
RE the barges, the big Dutch ones have no problem with costal, Channel and lower North Sea crossings (have done a few myself in the past) but if it's going to be a houseboat first then you need to make sure that everything is well stowed away!
for something that sits for s year then goes off for a bit the biggest risks are tinworm (practice with that welder) and mechanical failures.
Also think about power usages once you leave your "home mornings" and dont have access to on tap electricity and water.
http://www.narrowdog.com/usmap.htm
RE the barges, the big Dutch ones have no problem with costal, Channel and lower North Sea crossings (have done a few myself in the past) but if it's going to be a houseboat first then you need to make sure that everything is well stowed away!
for something that sits for s year then goes off for a bit the biggest risks are tinworm (practice with that welder) and mechanical failures.
Also think about power usages once you leave your "home mornings" and dont have access to on tap electricity and water.
Thanks for that info on newbuildbarges. Interesting, one thing I noticed they didn't cover was fuel systems.
iirc one of the biggest problems with boats that have been mainly used on sheltered waters being taken cross-Channel is that the additional motion stirs up all sorts of junk in the fuel system and it's best to have extra filters, and preferably a second fuel source or perhaps a second fuel supply system. Even better is give the tanks a good clean before setting out.
Again I think the Darlingtons, or maybe it was Chris Coburn as another who has gone cross Channel, found the biggest danger on a n/boat apart from stability, is the forward well and poor drainage thereof, especially as the bow doors into the living compartment are not that watertight. One of them built a temporary decking to keep water out, but then that gives problems in emergency exit routes. This issue isn't a problem for a Dutch barge, but is an issue for a w/beam. Also the stren decks aren't that watertight.
iirc one of the biggest problems with boats that have been mainly used on sheltered waters being taken cross-Channel is that the additional motion stirs up all sorts of junk in the fuel system and it's best to have extra filters, and preferably a second fuel source or perhaps a second fuel supply system. Even better is give the tanks a good clean before setting out.
Again I think the Darlingtons, or maybe it was Chris Coburn as another who has gone cross Channel, found the biggest danger on a n/boat apart from stability, is the forward well and poor drainage thereof, especially as the bow doors into the living compartment are not that watertight. One of them built a temporary decking to keep water out, but then that gives problems in emergency exit routes. This issue isn't a problem for a Dutch barge, but is an issue for a w/beam. Also the stren decks aren't that watertight.
seaworthy, absolutely and totally not! However, can it get across the channel, well Clarkson did with the assistance of three big ribs in a Toyota pickup... so anything can be done, but a large ship bearing down on you might not be fun even if it misses you, the wash will be very interesting I'd imagine!
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff