Barges for towing

[meechingman]

Can anyone tell me where I can buy a barge (ready built or kit) to tow with a tug? Alternatively, any advice on scratchbuilding? Can you start with a piece of solid timber to give the barge a bit of real mass, for instance?

[CG Bob]

Dumas makes a barge kit (http://www.dumasproducts.com/cgi-bin/dumas.storefront/4211474d0b1ec300271d40d4096805e2/Product/View/1219) for the AMERICAN BEAUTY river towboat. I made one barge (http://www.clevelandmodelboat.com/scalepics-09-06-03/ClubPicnic-September6,2003/index.html) last year with parts from a home improvement store or lumber yard: 2 each 1"x4'x48"; 2 each 1"x2"x24"; 1 sheet of 1/4 inch plywood 24"x48". The 1x2 form the ends. The 1x4 formed the sides, and have a rake cut on them so the end matches the 1x2. The plywood forms the bottom of the hull. For a deck bage, apply a second piece of ply to the top. I made my barge a hopper barge, and used to short pieces of ply as a deck on each end; and framed or lined the hold with some 1/8 bass wood.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

I would just build it up out of plywood stock.
Maybe a solid wood or foam bow, and have the top come off for ballast, or just load the deck.

It could be as simple as two sides, a bottom and top plate, and two angled plates for bow and stern.
Add a couple good coats of laquer or fiberglass for watersealing.

Of course I would complicate things by wanting to build it out of metal. :rolleyes:


http://www.zidell.com/bargec.html

[Jeff G]

Scroll down to the part about the barge: http://boatnerd.com/model/tug

[JADESKI]

Harbor Models sells three or four different versions, the barges are not on the web page but are in the catalog: www.harbormodels.com

[patmat2350]

Had some discussion about barges at our last club meeting. A VERY good point was made- ensure positive floatation with foam! If the barge ever floods, you don't want it pulling your expensive tug down by the hawser, blub blub blub.

Pat M
Go to the Regatta! Where we will have a barge towing event...
http://michiganmodelboats.com/2005GLSMBSR/

[Ghost 2501]

at the end of the day, a barge is nothing more than a big floating box, 5 panels of plywood, with a bit of lead in her, and may be a keel on the bottom, then the deck is added to that. ever made a wooden kennel??? scale it down and the priciple is the same