thamesbarge

This Thames sailing barge was first launched in 1893 at Maldon in Essex at the yard of J.T.Howard, one of the best-known builders of this type of craft, and was originally named Jachin. Some time in the early 1900s, the vessel was badly damaged after going aground at Newhaven, but was eventually salvaged, restored and re-named Venta. After being completely re-built, Venta traded until 1948, mainly between ports on the southern and eastern coast of England, but also to some of the nearer continental European ports in France and Holland. Venta was eventually laid up, and was destroyed by fire some time in the 1990s at Cuxton on the River Medway. The hull is moulded with correctly inset bulwarks as seen in the photo, and with fairly minor modifications can be used as the basis for modelling a great many other examples. This hull is also more or less identical to the Thames sailing barge Valerie Anne, plans for which were originally published in Marine Modelling magazine, the cover of which is reproduced here. Also available is a pair of moulded half-shells for the bolt-on bulb keel that has to be used with these hulls to improve stability so that they can be sailed effectively.