Keeping and mooring your barge

Where can I keep my barge and how much does it cost ?

Whether you intend using the barge here or abroad you will need a licence to cover the waterway on which you cruise.

UK

A licence for the Thames is available from the Environment agency, and you will need a Small Boat Safety certificate. A surveyor will need to inspect the barge and ensure that the regulations are met. When we plan your barge we will discuss with you this aspect and ensure that your vessel will be eligible for a certificate.

There are few residential moorings available to buy but they do come up from time to time.
However there are a great many marinas on the rivers and canals and since they cater for narrow-boats that are up to 21m long they can generally accept broad-beam barges as well.

Costs vary between £3000-£5000 a year.

There are a number of marinas situated in estuaries, notably the Thames. These have all the facilities that a barge needs.

At Robertsons we have our own barge harbour and will be pleased to quote you prices for a berth.

France, Holland and Belgium

The situation is somewhat different. Many small towns even villages have their own basins where it is possible to stay. Prices are much lower, but remember that many canals shut down over the winter and further movement is not possible.

The canal system in Europe is still used for commercial traffic, and ‘peniches’ always have priority over leisure craft. Although they can be intimidating at first, you will soon learn that they are handled by experts and cause little difficulty for you.

It is because of the commercial usage that the leisure boat licence is so inexpensive. A £300 ‘vignette’ allows you a years use of the system which extends to thousands of kilometres.
There are a large number of marinas which can cater for barges, but you will need to book up in advance to ensure that you have a berth. Costs for winter berths vary greatly, but a guide price would be under £1000