Boltjalks

[DBA Forum (B) - Ian Moon]

Hi all

I read an interesting article about Boltjalks online a while ago, and for the life of me I can't find it again! The article explained how Boltjalks were used by reed cutters and as such they were structurally maybe not as strong as many other Barges due to the fact that their load was lighter. Seeing as we have two converted 19.8m Boltjalks on our list of potentials, I was wondering what members experience was of these boats?

Any boat we purchase will have to be strong enough to make the channel crossing (and returning in years to come for extended stays on the continent) and of making her way up the coast to Essex, where she will be on a tidal mooring - obviously spending a lot of her time sitting on the mud. I imagine this would put strain on her spine?

Many thanks for your thoughts or experiences.
Ian

[DBA Forum (B) - Charles Fitzhardinge]

Hi Ian
There should be no iissue with strength, based on our experience over the past 7 years with Anna Maria, our 22.3m boltjalk.
She was built in 1913 and has served her owners well ever since. From soon after her conversion from a working ship in 1968, she was owned by the one family until we purchased her in 2007.
The Boltjalk was the "farm utility truck" of the period - sturdy and versatile, and able to make a living from the smell of an oily rag.
Like most of these vessels she was built (in Groningen) to carry peat from surrounding workings. This is a relatively low density cargo, but old photos of these ships working show they were heaped high above deck level with their load, so the total weight carried was probably similar to that carried out by other ships carrying a denser cargo but largely below decks.
When the peat industry went into decline after WW! Anna Maria seems to have moved to the Meppel region where she carried potatoes.
We have no record of her life immediately after WW2 - probably eventually laid up, until her new life as a pleasure boat started in 1968.

One common characteristic of these vessels is a relatively shallow hull depth (reflecting the way the loads were carried). Our draft is mostly about 70cm (90cm at the stern due to the presence of a skeg), while our deck is only 60cm above waterlevel amidships.
This makes a delightful ship for cruising the European inland waterways - with draft of 90cm and air draft of 3.0m there are few places we cannot go (and we have roamed from Berlin and the extensive nearby lakes, throughout Holland, Belgium and Northern France). However because of the shallow hull, we are not keen to cross the channel.
Charles Fitzhardinge
Anna Maria

[DBA Forum (B) - Ian Moon]

That's great, thanks Anna.

We'd hate to get a boat and find we'd broken her back in a few years time through misappropriate use! :(

[DBA Forum (B) - Ian Moon]

Sorry, that should have read thanks Charles and Anna - reading too fast at the end there!

[DBA Forum (B) - Peter Cawson]

I would imagine that the strength of the vessel of the likely age of a boltjalk is far more related to its current condition than its original design. All commercial vessels should (in their day) be amply strong enough to withstand drying out, even when laden. Those that are now "rust buckets" will hardly be strong enough to float! A careful survey will tell you whether the vessel you have your eye on is up to the use you plan for it.

Peter