In early 2022 we had sold our house in Moretonhampstead and we had also sold our replica Dutch Barge in France. We were looking for an adventure but we also had a sizable and growing clutch of grandchildren who were mostly in Cornwall. We did not want to live abroad. This prompted us to take a trip to Gweek as the Helford Estuary was a place that I had always longed to live. Julian did not want to give up on boating - although we are really no sailors. Cruising the French canals can't be classes as sailing by any means. But we knew that this was a beautiful area and one of the few places in Cornwall with residential moorings.
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| The beautiful Helford Estuary We were in the early stages of lockdown and we were renovating a house in Wadebridge so we made some trips to view the boatyard in Gweek and started considering the possibility of living at Gweek on a Dutch barge. Gweek is at the head of the Helford Estuary and it a lovely village with a shop and a pub and best of all a thriving and working classic boatyard.  |
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| First sight of Xavier in Medemblik marina |
We scoured the adverts in the UK, Netherlands, France and Belgium. As we were in the middle of covid, we knew that we could only travel abroad if we had sold out house and were looking for a new one. Luckily that was exactly our situation and we found a large Dutch barge that seemed to fit our needs. It is always very difficult to work out your needs in such a situation. To work out what the priorities are. We decided that as we had spent the past 10 years renovating houses, and decorating them to a high specification, there was no point in buying a barge in tip top shape, as our impulse would be to remodel the inside to our specifications.
I was a little worried about feeling cramped and a priority for me was to find a boat with either a large decksalon or something that let plenty of light into the main living area. I did not want to live in a cargo hold.
We set of to the Netherlands to look at what seemed our ideal Dutch Barge at a place called Mepple.
Although there always seems plenty of live aboard boats for sale, there were not that many that were of the size we wanted, that had a traditional shape and were configured to allow plenty of light into the living accommodation. All our hopes were pinned on this boat but when we viewed it we immediately knew it was not for us. Inside it was dark and I was not keen on the configuration of the only light space which was the wheelhouse.
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| We were a little deflated after seeing the first boat and the cafe's tea offering did not help! |
Sitting in the car in Mepple we decided to have a last trawl through the adverts for another possibility. We looked again at a barge called Xavier that had really great proportions. It was 30 metres long and over 6 metres wide. It was one of those moments when I just could not work out why we had not considered it before. Maybe it was the scruffy canopy and all the bits and bobs that were attached and hanging off it, who knows, anyhow we had nothing to loose if we went to see it. We decided to view it alone from the exterior first and then if we liked the look of it we would try to contact the owner.
Xavier was an 1932 Luxemotor. Out of all the different types of Dutch Barges, Dutch Luxemotors are considered the most desirable to convert to homes as they were built to give the boat owners a degree of luxury that had previously been unknown.
Owners often craned their cars onto the roof and this had been the case with Xavier. The internal accommodation at the stern was fitted out for long term comfort. With a beautiful slipper end and great proportions, this barge was beautiful.
Not only that, but since 2005 the superstructure had been completely remodelled to be fitted out as an hotel barge. The entire cargo hold had been shortened by cutting the boat in half and removing a sizable portion. New metalwork was constructed to make living accommodation and unusually the main salon was raised with large windows so that there were panoramic views on both sides from this large living space.
It was only after we bought the boat that we realised how unusual is is to have this degree of light in the living accommodation.
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| It felt a bit cramped inside the lower section as there were so many cabins! |
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| The salon was spacious but the ceiling was damaged and everywhere was fake wood! |
As soon as Julian saw the boat from the outside he could see it was exactly what we wanted, just as we had been able to see that the other boat wasn't right.
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| The wheelhouse was in good condition although the entire boat needed TLC |
An internal inspection revealed two entirely separate living spaces which were at that time both rented out separately by the owner. The former cargo hold had been converted to a good specifiction. All the windows were sound, the metal was thick and had a feeling of solidity. The original brass portholes were in place and in good condition.
Best of all the covered well-deck made a fantastic wind and weather proof conservtory (proved at the time as it was incredibly windy when we viewed the boat). This led to the open plan salon that was a beautiful and light living space. All of he metalwork that had been done when it was converted not long before was really solid and well made and the layout was really fantastic with it's raised decksalon and storage area underneath.
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| The wheelhouse had a comfortable seat but there were bags of woodburner everywhere. |
Another jewel was the original skipper's accommodation with it's beautiful etched glass teak doors and more large windows letting in plenty of natural light. The entire interior was actually a bit grim, having been let out and it's first conversion after 2005 had been as a hotel boat, so there were a multitude of small cabins that were currently crammed to the gunnels with 'stuff'.
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| The internal layout is fine, but the ceiling needs attention, all of the decor is tired and all the new furniture and fillings is laminated plastic! |
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