In the early 70's I lived for a short time on an old Thames Sailing barge.  Our barge, called 'Surrey' had no sails any more and had been converted into a houseboat and was moored in a creek on the Medway.  It one won races in its day and was described in a book about Sailing Barges as 'the fastest bit of wood on the Medway'!

When they are in full sail they are truly beautiful and were the workhorses of the Thames and Medway.