Tamar River Sailing Barge

Wooden Ships Comments on this Tamar River Sailing Barge

Tamar sailing barge launched in 1896 at the yard of James Goss in Calstock on the banks of the River Tamar near Plymouth.

Part of the National Historic Fleet of prestigious vessels.

The extraordinary and well documented history of this boat tells an incredible tale from her days working the river delivering cargo between the sea at Plymouth right up to the small inland villages, to be rescued from the mud and rebuilt not once but twice, with passionate and dedicated people who have saved the boat and her history for all to enjoy.

The majority of her working life was spent carrying stone from inland quarries to the port of Plymouth and further down the coast to Fowey, Falmouth, Dartmouth and the like, although her general cargoes would have included coal, market garden produce and a myriad of items to be sold around the coasts. After her war service in Plymouth, she returned to carrying stone before being laid up to sink in the mud in a small creek off the Tamar.

Here she was found by eccentric enthusiast Charlie Force who literally dug 33 years worth of mud from her hull by hand, floated the hulk down river and started a major rebuild in the 1990’s replacing most of her planking and frames plus new deck and rig.  Interestingly her original mast was located elsewhere on the Tamar and was reunited with the boat.

Now owned by a Community Interest Company, a second major refit was completed in 2017.  She was put into commercial operation in 2019 and undertook various trips around the Plymouth area giving people a glimpse of a bygone era and the skills necessary to navigate a sailing barge in the close confines of a river.

The vessel is largely empty below decks and serves as a fantastic platform for community learning or an exhibition centre.  She visits various maritime events and opens her decks to the public to educate people not only about the specific history of Lynher herself, but of the world into which she was launched.

So what does the future hold for a vessel of such historical importance and one as unique as Lynher?  Her size and volume lend her perfectly to be a platform for events and displays, providing day trips for educational or charter purposes, or perhaps as a corporate flagship.  Time will tell but it is certainly important that whoever takes on this beguiling vessel continues to use her and maintain her for the benefit of all.

The full story of her history can be found at https://tamarbarge.org.uk/lynhers-story/

Length on Deck                      52’’6”

Length Waterline                   48’

Beam                                       18’

Draft                                       4’