Southend Barge Match
Saturday 29th August
Aids to identify the barges taking part (- based on previous details, which can vary)

Barge	Hull colour	Rail colour	Sprit colour	Bob	Staysail	Transom	Name	Rig	Coamings	Hatch cover	Other features
Adieu	Black	Black	Black sprit thin white band	Pale blue	White with red corners	Pale blue with black lettering	White lwttering on black background	Bowsprit	Yellow	Red	Steel barge
Alice	Black	Black	Cream sprit with white, red, white banding	Yellow with black letter G		Yellow transom, green scrolls with white lettering	White lettering on green scroll	Staysail	Cream	Grey/greey	Steel barge built from modified lighter, slightly smaller than standard barge
Ardwina	Black	Black	Brown sprit, no band	Blue letter A in white circle on blue and white horizontal striped background	All white	Dark blue transom, white lettering on light bluse scroll with gold scroll work below	Yellow lettering on black background, blue bow badge	Satysail		Green	Skipper Willie often wears a bright orange overall
Betula	Black	Black	Brown sprit with no banding	Red	White	Green transom with gold lettering on black banner	Goold lettering on green banner with balck backfground	Staysail	Red	Red	Steel barge. Hull shape not typical as converted from dutch craft and of slightly smaller size.
Blackthorn	Black	Black	Cream sprit with no banding	White with red letter C		Blak transom, brown scroll with gold lettering	Brown scroll with gold lettering	Staysail	Cream with port holes	Cream	Steel barge, smaller than normal, with very high bow.
Centaur	Black	Black	Cream sprit with black, cream red banding	Red over black with chaff cutter logo in gold	White	Pale blue transom with yellow lettering on blue scrolls	Yellow lettering on blue scroll	Staysail	Brown	Green
Cygnet	Black	Black	Dark brown sprit no banding	Red	White	Black transom with yellow lettering on green scroll	Yellow lettering on green scroll with black background	Bowsprit		Green	Half size barge, currently tiller steered with mizzen mounted on rudder post, bowsprit relatively short
Decima	Black	Grey	Black sprit with blue, yellow blue banding	Blue, yellow, blue horizontal stripes with small logo in yellow band	Red, white and blue striped	Grey transom with black lettering	Black lettering on grey background	Staysail	Cream	Green	Steel barge. (faint traces of "Tate & Lyle" in topsail)
Edme	Black	Black	Cream sprit, no banding	White letter H on red background	White with red corners	Black transom with yellow lettering on blue banner	Yellow lettering on blue banner with black background	Bowsprit	Brown	Green	Logo in topsail "EDME food ingredients"
Gladys	Black	Black with yeloow stripe	Cream sprit, no banding	Triangular with green border, red centre and sunblest logo in centre	White	Black transom with blue banner and yellow lettering	Yellow lettering on black background. Blue bow badge	Bowsprit	Brown	Blue	Kingsmill logo in topsail
Greta	Black	Grey	Pale yellow sprit with dark blue, lightblue, darkblue banding (same on mizzen sprit)	Red letter N on Blue, yellow blue vertical stripes	Multicolur rainbow staysail	Pale blue transom with blue scroll and yellow lettering	Yellow lettering on grey background, pale blue bow badge	Staysail	Cream	Green	Shepherd Neame Brewers Faversham written in mainsail and crook logo in topsail
Lady Daphne	Black	Black	Cream sprit, no banding	Red and blue diagonal split	Red, white and blue	Dark blue transom with gold lettering on pale blue banner and gold scroll work	Gold lettering on black background, blue bow badge	Staysail with mulie miizzen	Cream	Red	Z-Yen logo in topsail. Mulie rigged
Lady of the Lea	Black hulle with grey wale	Grey	Dark brown sprit with grey band	Red with indistinct markings	White	Pale blue, narrow transom, dark blue scrolls with yellow lettering	Pale blue scrolls with yellow lettering	Staysail	Maroon	Green	Rochester Independent College logo in topsail. Smaller than standard barge size, and narrower
Marjorie	Black wale, dark grey hull	Black	Brown sprit with balck and yellow banding	Blue and yellow quartered	White with red corners	Brown transom with gold lettering and gold scrolling	Yellow lettering on black background	Bowsprit	Yellow	Green
May	Black	Black	Cream sprit, no banding	Blue and white vertical stripes		Pale blue transom, dark blue banner with yellow lettering		Bowsprit	Cream	Green	White caps to leeboards
Mirosa	Black	Black	Cream sprit, black band	Dark blue with yellow circular logo	White	Pale blue transom with yellow lettering on blue banner	Yellow lettering on black background	Bowsprit	Brown	Green
Phoenician	Black	Black	Dark brown sprit, no banding	Red, yellow and blue vertical sections, white circle in red section		Light blue transom with yellow lettering on dark blue banner	Yellow lettering on blue banner on black background	Staysail	Brown	Green
Reminder	White	White	Cream sprit, no banding	Red, white and green	White	White transom with black lettering	Black lettering on white background	Staysail	Cream	Green	Steel barge with priminent black leebaords agains the white hull
Repertor	Black	Maroon	ream sprit with crema nd maroon banding	Red with white pollack fish and letter P		Maroon transom with white lettering	White lettering on maroon background	Staysail	Yellow	Green	Steel barge
Thistle	Black	Grey	Brown sprit with no banding	Red, white and green	White	Green transom with white lettering	Green lettering on grey background	Bowsprit with mulie mizzen	Cream	Green	Steel barge with prominent wheel house, which can be dismantled in hot weather
Will	Blue	Black	Brown sprit with white and blue banding	Blue with white tower logo		White transom with dark lettering	Yellow lettering on black background	Bowsprit with mulie mizzen	Brown	Green	Large steel barge, with P&O lettering in the topsail, and a very prominent wheelhouse
Wyvenhoe	Black	Black	Black sprit with red and white banding	Blue white and red vertical stripes	Black white and orange	Black transom	Gold lettering on black background (has changed 2006)	Staysail		Green	Steel barge, slightly different hull shape, especially at the stern
Xylonite	Grey	Dark Grey	Cream sprit, no banding	Blue with white arrangement of stars and logo	White	Grey transom	White lettering on grey background	Bowsprit	Cream	Green	Steel barge with Suffolk Life avocet logo in topsail

Notes:

Hull - barge hulls were originally made of wood, but later iron or steel versions were built, and a significant number of these have survived. They have been designated steel if iron or steel for the purposes of this guide. The wale is the upper most part of the hull, below the rail.
Sprit - some barges have colured bands painted aroung the middle of the sprit. These often mirror colours used elsewhere on the barge, or on the bob.
Bob - this is the flag that flies at the very to of the topmast - used to identify the wind direction. Designs usually relate to the owner.
Staysail - several staysails may be used by a barge, and the choise will depend on the wind direction and strength. In light wind conditions larger, lighter sails may be used, some of which are made of modern fabrics, and sport a variety of colours. It is these coloured sails that are described here, so they may not be in use all the time. Note it is not unknown for a barge skipper to borrow one of these sails from a barge that is not competing.
Transom - this is the flat stern of the vessel on which the name is normally visible if viewed from astern. There a variety of shapes, some typical of a particular barge builder, whcih themselves can be an aid to identification.
Name - this refers to the name on the side, near to the front of the barge. Bow badge is right at the front of the rail, adjoining the stem, and is often coloured and carries definitive scroll work or carving.
Rig - the barges race in 3 classes, one for bowsprit barges - which have an extra spar extending out at the bow, and which carries extra sails ahead of the main mast, and the other two for staysial barges - i.e. ones that fixes a sail to the forestay os the furthest forward sail, having no bowsprit. The mulie rig applies to barges whose mizzen is not rigged with the normal sprit and gaff, but with a gaff and boom rig, and this is usually much larger in size and well forward of the steering position. The height of the mizzen mast in these cases is often similar to that of the main mast.
Coaming - these are the edge to cargo hatches with hatch cover over. These may be modified, as they are no longer used for cargoes.

SOUTHEND BARGE MATCH HOME PAGE
Barges taking part
Information for participating barges
More about Thames Sailing barges
Southend on Sea RNLI
Queries - email: sbm@thamesbarge.org.uk