Still & Wake

Thames sailing barges: red sails and where to sail on one

Flat-bottomed, red-sailed working boats with a crew of two men and a dog. This is what made the sailing barge different, and how you can sail on one today.

A sailing barge with rust-red sails on a calm estuary
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A working boat with no keel

Start with the hull. As the barge researchers' FAQ explains, a Thames barge has a flat bottom and no keel. Instead they use leeboards: the leeboard is lowered on the lee side when sailing to windward. Barges, the Society says, normally carried a crew of "two men and a dog".

The sprit rig

The Society's glossary defines the sprit as the spar which extends diagonally across the mainsail or mizzen to extend the peak. On a barge it runs from low on the mast up to the top outer corner of the mainsail. Its heel is held to the mast by an iron band with links, which the glossary calls the muzzle.

Why are the sails red?

That rust colour isn't paint for show. Barge sails were dressed with a mixture of mainly red ochre and fish oil, which preserved the cloth and helped it work better, and the dressing gave the sails their colour.

A sailing barge with rust-red sails crossing a wide estuary
Red Sails.

Our Red Sails print shows a barge of this type on a wide estuary. See all our ship prints.

How many Thames barges are left?

The Society says there are some thirty private, company, charter, club and sail training barges that can still be seen under sail. It adds that only three or four remain that rely on the wind alone.

The Thames Sailing Barge Match

The Barge Match was first held in 1863 and calls itself the longest running, regularly organised, national racing event for traditional sail in the world. It is based at Gravesend.

Sailing on a barge today

The Thames Sailing Barge Trust offers one-day and weekend cruises and private charters. Its 2027 programme is due to be published in early December, so check its site for dates.

Before choosing a trip, read the operator's current programme and check where you board, how long you will be away and what access involves. If it is a present, agree the date with the recipient before booking. The boat's own information is the place to settle those practical details.

A barge for your wall

If you've sailed on one, or watched them race, a picture of red sails makes a fine reminder. See our ship prints, or make a print from your own photo of the day.

Sources

Published .

Written by Craig Fearn, Still & Wake. Last updated .

Craig Fearn runs Still & Wake. He writes the guides and journal.

Questions, answered

Why are Thames barge sails red?
The Society for Sailing Barge Research says the sails were dressed with a mixture of mainly red ochre and fish oil, to preserve them and make them more efficient.
How many Thames barges are left?
The Society says there are some thirty private, company, charter, club and sail training barges that can still be seen under sail.