Thames Sailing Barge Alice
Explore the Solent in style and comfort, learn about barge sailing and take the helm under the tuition of a barge master. Alice is available from just £440 per day!
We often use yachts in conjunction with Alice to increase your party under sail from 13 – 50+ people. The boats sail well in unison and using one of our RIBs to swap the crews your team receive a wonderfully contrasted experience of the old and new systems of sailing.
Visit some of the many local harbours including: Poole, Christchurch, Lymington, Yarmouth, Beaulieu, Newtown, Southampton, Cowes, Wooten creek, Ryde, Portsmouth, Langstone and Chichester.
Why not use one of our support RIBs for the day for adrenaline rides, water sports and fast ferrying around the Solent? Alice is also available as a venue for meetings of up to 40 guests whilst moored alongside Gun wharf quays, ideal for:
- Business meetings
- Dining aboard
- Bridge and Poker games
- Private parties
Below decks:
There is a large saloon area with full headroom, and comfortable seating. The dining area can seat twenty for formal sit-down meals and forty for buffets. Alice has a fully equipped bar and galley; she is an extremely luxurious barge equipped with 15 beds, accommodation is in two, and three-berth cabins, she has 3 toilet compartments, one with a power shower and another a full-sized bath, log burner central heating and a large living area with a flat screen TV, and quality sound system.
Sailing Charters
For up to 12 passengers
Parties & Functions
Moored alongside for up to 40 guests
Specification and Safety
Length oa 23.5m (77ft);
Beam 5.5 m (18ft);
Draught 1.1m (3ft 6ins.)
Full standing headroom below decks
Sails - Mainsail; Topsail; Mizzen; Foresail; plus staysails; total approx. 3,500 sq. ft.
125 hp diesel Engine; 8.5 KVA Generator; Barge RIB; VHF radio
2 x 8-person life rafts; 18 lifejackets
Fire fighting and First Aid equipment
Accommodation
Main Saloon - 46 sq. m (500 sq. ft.) including galley/bar and dining for 20 guests seated.
Four 2-berth cabins.
One 3 berth cabin
4 sofa-beds in saloon.
Double berthed aft cabin.
Three heads (one with shower & one with a bath)
Separate crew quarters
Alice’s History:
The barge Alice was built at Wivenhoe and was originally built as a lighter, to be rowed, or towed, to and from the River Lea to the Lower Pool of London. She undertook various cargoes; including provisioning the Pirate Radio Ships with stores in the 1970s.
In 1994 Alice was removed from trade and over 3 years, she was completely reconstructed and converted to a Thames Sailing barge. This reconstruction was completed in 1998. The conversion below decks is totally new, and fitted with a classic varnished pitch pine ceiling and lining.
In 2005 she had a brand new 125hp Ford diesel fitted, she was sandblasted painted with epoxy and had a new 8.5kva generator fitted. This winter after providing accommodation for Classic Boat exhibitors at the Excel Boat show she has remained in London at Butlers Wharf by Tower Bridge. She is now moored and available for charter just under the Spinnaker tower in the amazing Gun Wharf Marina complex at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour
Meet the Crew
Alan - Barge master & Skipper
A childhood of dinghy sailing in Chichester harbour developed to Ocean Racing and membership of the Royal Ocean Racing Club.
In 1975 he chartered the Ironsides, a Thames Staysail Barge. 1978 he bought Adieu from the gravel trade started the work to get her back in commission as a full sailing barge.
January 2005 obtained Alice, had a brand new 125hp Ford diesel fitted, the topsides coated with epoxy and participated in a couple of barge matches on the East coast. He then bought her down to Chichester Harbour.
Alice is now moored in the Prestigious Gun Wharf complex at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour with only a 8 minute trip before you are in the full Solent sailing area.
Marcel – First Hand & Catering Manager
Sea life began fishing in the Mediterranean at Gozo, Malta.
In the City of London he established owned and ran for 15 years a very successful restaurant.
Enjoys barge sailing and is the expert on stating the single cylinder peter that runs Alice anchor winch.
Dan - runs the RIBs and all things that go fast
Dan runs 4charter. He can sail well having delivered a Farr 64 for On deck Sailing. He knows engineering well and is the engineer for 4charter and Ondeck.