Tollesbury, Maldon, Essex

EXP: BK0513

Stunning houseboat and very well-equipped cruising barge with beautiful Norwegian 'Blue Pearl' granite worktops, high quality oak joinery and a wonderful wood burning stove. The barge is comfortable, cosy, stylish and efficient. Stunning views every day from the beautiful surroundings; a super peaceful and exciting way of life. 

Launched just 13 years ago, this luxury barge is both a great home and a very competent ‘CAT B’ seagoing cruising vessel with a new 90hp diesel engine, bow thruster and navigation and control equipment. 

This barge has been a wonderful cosy home for the present owner, in the most beautiful protected area and part of a lively and very friendly village with shops, pub, restaurant, cafe, doctor, chemist and loads of clubs and associations, of course sailing, plus walking, cycling, fishing, bird watching and much more. 

This beautiful barge is designed for two adults to live aboard full time in considerable comfort, plus occasional guests can be accommodated as the wheelhouse seating and table converts into a luxurious double bed.

The Bedroom (Cabin) (4.2m X 3.6m max) has a super comfortable, oak framed king size bed with storage below, oak cupboards/worktops, full length mirrored oak wardrobes, solid oak wall cladding, low energy lighting, a 3kw room sealed Wallas oil heater and 240 volt power sockets. 
The fully tiled Bathroom (Head) is equipped with an industry leading Techma Silence flushing toilet, fitted on super-yachts worldwide, a full-size bath/shower and ceramic hand basin, pressurised hot and cold water, an extractor fan, low energy lighting, storage cupboards and a 1.3kw room sealed Wallas oil heater. 

The Kitchen (Galley) is well equipped with oak cabinets, superb, thick Norwegian 'Blue Pearl' granite worktops, four burner gas hob, electric Samsung built-in dual oven, extractor fans, fridge, 24/12V freezer, washing machine, a dedicated filtered drinking water tap, pressurised hot and cold water, low energy lighting and 240-volt power sockets. 

The Saloon (6.1m X 3.6m max) is wonderfully bright with large windows and portholes and a huge double roof light, all opening and fully double glazed. The double glazing, together with 50mm of spray-foam insulation applied to the steel shell make the interior warm in the winter with minimal heating, but cool and comfortable in the hottest of summers. The saloon also comes complete with a leather two seater reclining sofa, a 3kw Wallas room-sealed oil heater, low energy lighting, 240-volt power sockets and a 'Morso Squirrel' multifuel/wood burner stove which is a fabulous addition to the saloon, making the entire barge cosy and warm. 

Electrical power is stored in 6 Rolls, industrial deep cycle batteries, charged by 4 solar panels that cover the wheelhouse roof. The barge is also equipped with a diesel generator. When you are cruising, the main engine has two large alternators that will very quickly top up the batteries. A newly fitted Sterling battery charger has also been fitted as a modern complementary addition. Ample electricity is therefore always available. 
240v ac (mains voltage) is supplied throughout the barge from either shore power when available, or from the ship’s batteries via the Victron inverter. 
Hot water is supplied by a new Morco gas instantaneous water heater in the winter, or free of charge by using the immersion heater and surplus power generated by the solar panels in the summer. If you go cruising, the main engine will also supply plenty of hot water, ensuring that piping hot water can always be available. 

The 10-foot-long wheelhouse is fully collapsible and has luxury seating and ‘Chaise Long” style lounger, the double-glazed windows all round provide cosy uninterrupted 360-degree views. The new instrument panel provides all the instruments needed including: Chart plotter, Radar, AIS, DSC Radio, Depth Finder, Anchor and Bow thruster controls, wipers, horn, lights etc

Specifications:

Design: Branson Thomas High Curve Luxemotor- Dutch style steel barge.  

Web site:
Construction: 2011
Length: 50 feet / 15m 
Beam:  13 feet / 4m
Draft: 3'3" feet / 1m
Air Draft: 6.5 feet/ 2m (Wheelhouse and Mast down)

Weed Hatch: giving access to the propeller while afloat.

Large steel rubbards for protection in locks.
Hull Type: Shallow  ‘V’, steel.

Steel Scanting’s:

Keel – 12mm

Stem – 18mm

Engine beds – 10mm

Hull – 8mm

Deck – 5mm

Cabin sides – 5mm

Cabin roof – 5mm

Keel Type: Full Keel

Top side is newly painted with polyurethane paints, with no rust or thinning anywhere.
Barras Shire 90 diesel engine with only 250 hours use.

Fuel Capacity 1830 litres

Water Capacity 2000 litres

Fuel efficiency example: The barge will consume approximately 3 litres of diesel per hour at canal cruising speed, giving a range of around 1,000 miles range on full fuel.

The hull has the comfort and peace of mind of being coated with a material used in the offshore oil industry, glass flake epoxy, which is designed to give protection for in excess of 25 years. Unlike converted original barges and narrowboats that have to be dry docked, blasted and blacked every three or four years to hold back the rust and the ongoing need for over-plating and welding, this is a new barge with no rust at all and benefits from 100% protection of the steel hull with modern high-tech epoxy.