What is Thames sailing barge?
[[File:Thames_Barges-Canthusus.jpg|thumb|320x320px|Thames sailing barges, with typical red-brown sails, in the East [[Swin (Thames)|Swin]], off [[Foulness Island|Foulness Point]]<ref>East Swin is a deep channel to the east of Foulness Point, Essex: Admiralty Chart SC5606, April 2004) {{coord|51|41|N|01|11|E}}</ref>]] A '''Thames sailing barge''' is a type of commercial sailing boat once common on the [[River Thames]]. They are flat-bottomed [[Barge|barges]], adapted to the Thames Estuary, which is not deep and has narrow [[tributary]] rivers. The larger barges could be taken on the sea, and were the largest sailing vessel to be handled by just two men. The average size was about 120 tons and they carried 4,200 square feet (390 m<sup>2</sup>) of [[canvas]] sail in six working sails. They carried heavy cargo to English [[Port|ports]] and to [[Europe]]. At first they were all made of wood, but some later ones were made of [[steel]]. They were about 20 feet wide and 80 or 90 feet long with two [[Mast|masts]]. In the 1860s barge races were started, and the barges' design improved as they were built with better lines in order to win. The Thames barge races are the world's second oldest sailing competition, second to the [[America's Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=www.pla.co.uk|first=Port of London-|title=Thames Sailing Barge Match {{!}} Port of London Authority|url=http://www.pla.co.uk/Events/Thames-Sailing-Barge-Match|access-date=2023-04-10|website=POLA2012}}</ref> == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Boats]]