Description

Unique cruising houseboat Thames Inspection Styled Barge built end of 2011 for living afloat with comfort and space.

Ideally suited for off grid living or would be very happy on a residential mooring.

Specifications

Two Bedrooms , two bathrooms, office, lobby, galley,engine room,front hold and large saloon with panoramic views.Top deck has steering position and a drop down awning.

Double glazing throughout the barge with opening double glazed roof hatches in every room and 4 side hatches two in the galley/saloon and the other two are at the rear one in the office and the other in the rear corridor..

For cruising the barge is powered by a superb modern Beta Marine Iveco based 6 cylinder barge engine,


This is super smooth and quiet running. Super low hours (under 100 from new !) touch the start button and she bursts into life without hesitation.

The generator is a 7kw silenced Beta cocooned slow running 1500 rpm 3 cylinder Kobota base engine.Again low hours (under 4500 from new) it can hardly be heard in the saloon you will forget you started it.

The barge would make a perfect London houseboat or off grid cruising houseboat on the Thames or similar rivers at 70ft by 13ft .

Built by a very experienced boat builder Dave Clarke Boats and designed and fitted out by ourselves, having lived and worked afloat for many years previously we knew what was needed.


Thames Willow has a spectacular amount of space.There are cupboards and lockers and even a massive front hold and that is without even going on the roof.

Built with a second upper deck it's perfect for summer days and evenings. She has a custom made drop down enclosed canopy with roll up curtains giving lovely views from up high,This awning drops easily for when cruising.

The air draft is still quite low making her a very cruiseable barge. She is totally self-sufficient with large diesel/water and black water tanks.

A large heavy duty battery bank topped up with solar panels and marine battery chargers hooked up to the generator or from the main engine having twin alternators and shore power when connected to an electric hook up these look after all your electrical needs..

The large Victon 3kw pure sine wave inverter takes care of the 230 volt ring mains plus silenced 7kva beta gen set looks after all your power needs like the washing machine and dishwasher etc.

She is powered by a super smooth 6 cylinder Beta barge engine Ivco based 120hp

A 8hp twin prop bow thruster.

This boat handles like a dream and should not be mistaken for a flat bottomed wide beam styled narrowboat.

If you slow down and put the helm over she turns almost in her own length without the use of her bow thruster, an 8hp twin prop 24 volt unit with its own battery bank.

This boat has a chined bottomed hull built like a modern barge so the water can flow along the chine before entering the swim allowing the propeller to get a decent grip on the water and not just creating lots of bubbles causing cavitation, This means she can efficiently have a larger engine that will actually get the power into the water.

SPECIFICATIONS continued

SALOON
The saloon has a nice feeling of space all the glazing in the boat is double glazed with the saloon 5 forward facing windows opening and also removable for hot summer days creating a lovely vented living space.The Saloon galley area also has a side door/hatch giving more feeling of openness.There is also a double glazed opening hatch over the galley area. Multi fuel burner with back boiler and two double radiators.The floor is one inch solid oak which runs throughout the boat except the rear lobby bathroom and office which is solid beach

GALLEY

The galley is fully equipped with a beautiful Heritage range fitted with twin independent boilers, one heats the range and a separate one heating the central heating system.

The Heritage range has a main oven plus a warming oven, there are two large round hob plates which can take six pans (depending on their size).
The oven is ready in 30 minutes.
This fast heat up can be also used for background heating.

The second pressure jet burner is the central heating burner combined rating of 28,000 btu. This is controlled by a radio controlled household type wall thermostat.

There is a dishwasher plus a Beko fridge and separate Beko freezer, Prestige microwave and a coffee machine.

A 2 burner stainless steel gas hob is fitted to complement it ideal for the kettle!

We have a massive double size worktop plus another workspace opposite.

Stainless sink and drainer.

MAIN MASTER BEDROOM
There is a large main master bedroom with a king sized ottoman style bed with insulated storage below,
Two solid oak bedside tables one each side plus shelves on the port side,the his and hers full cross opening mirrored wardrobe is at the foot of the bed with both hanging space and shelves a large double radiator on the port sideThe starboard side has more cupboards and a solid beech work surface/shelf ideal to place makeup etc .There is another mirror over this plus plenty of 230 volt sockets.

SECOND BEDROOM
There is second bedroom has a double size bed memory foam mattress a double glazed roof hatch airing cupboard plus shelves and storage.

MAIN BATHROOM
The main bathroom is large with an opening double glazed roof hatch for light and air, tecma toilet, large half moon shower, glass hand basin set on a solid beech work surface, cupboards and shelving and large double radiator.

The bathrooms have separate hot water systems so no nicking the wifes hot water !!

SECOND BATHROOM
Tecma loo, hand basin and full size shower, double glazed opening roof hatch, cupboard under sink shelving and vanity cupboard over loo.

ENTRANCE LOBBY
Entry is through the rear sliding hatch doorway stairs down into the lobby.There is shoe storage and hanging space plus storage cupboards with solid oak doors. A Boatman multifuel stove is fitted and has a back boiler for heating the rear hot water tank it is approximately 36 gallons giving almost unlimited hot water, this is for the second shower room. This tank is also heated when the generator is running using the waste cooling water system via a second heating coil for efficiency.It also has a 1kva immersion heater fitted the generator can run but not necessary unless you need super fast heat up during the summer months.This can of course be used when connected to shore power.

THE OFFICE
The separate office is located on the starboard side is at the end of the rear lobby.The desk has has lots of shelving all around and is ideal for a printer and laminator etc.The office benefits from having the small boatman stove and is nice and snug in the winter season.
plus a double radiator fed by the main central heating system.


ENGINE ROOM

The engine room is also off the rear lobby and houses the main engine a Beta barge engine 120hp six cylinder it was purposely designed by Beta marine for powering larger barges.Two inch prop shaft with 24x24 prop pushing the vessel along.

There is a Beta silenced 7kva generator the main battery bank of 8 heavy duty Trogen batteries Two engine/generator start batteries marine chargers and Victron 3kva pur sinewave inverter.

The TOP DECK
Steps off the rear deck take you up there is a grab pole which is also a folding mast with solar powered lights.Lots of storage lockers and the helm position with hydraulic steering system and custom made heavy duty hose and pipe giving a nice light touch to the helm. Morse controls for gear and throttle also light and easy to use plus bow thruster controls are at hand.
Moving forward takes you to the seating/relaxing area.

FRONT HOLD

The front hold has the 24 volt bow thruster and second battery bank of four batteries with dedicated chargers.

Possible mooring
Having lived afloat for many years we are now looking at other options and therefore this amazing barge is up for sale

Specifications

Accommodation

The Saloon

The Galley

main corridor

Master bedroom walk round kingsize bed

The Galley

The Heritage Range oil fired presurer jets(like Aga)

Range in place

The main bathroom shower

Construction

Steel plate 10/6/4 heavy duty bracing

Early part of construction

Spray foam through out

Lovely shaped bow with full rubbing strakes

Equipment

Beta Marine Gen Set 7kw silent cocooned

Twin prop bow thruster with twin weed hatches

24x24 inch prop

Engine(s)

Beta Marine Barge Engine 120hp 6 cylinder about 100 hours from new

Beta Marine Barge Engine

Durin fittout