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57ft NB Dutch Barge


Silent Flight

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Good morning!
 

Have put a deposit on this 57ft NB Dutch Barge! I think she is lovely but would like your initial honest opinions please!

 

https://www.apolloduck.com/boat/soar-valley-57-db-for-sale/718322

 

Intend to start ‘Living Afloat’ on her. The current owners do the same so know this a currently a good live aboard.

 

So secondly, any thoughts or ideas to make an awesome live aboard?
 

Here are some more specs that may be useful.

 

Many thanks 🙏 

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Only negative I can see is that the wheelhouse is not a 2 minute job to disassemble requiring you to lift off the roof then lift out and store the side panels.

 

You will need to disassemble the wheelhouse pretty much every day you are cruising as it looks unlikely to fit under many of the canal bridges. If you plan to use it as another 'room' then you will have to reassemble it each evening.

 

Where are the roof and side panels stored when you are cruising ?

 

The wheelhouse has a removable roof and the front and rear panels fold down, allowing the side panels to be lifted out in sections.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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It's not a thing of beauty from the outside, especially at the bows, but that extended forward cabin means that there should be ample interior space. Unlike on some barge-style boats, thew side decks are of a usable width, too.

 

Good to see that ABNB (who sold our last boat 16 years ago) still produce their clearly-illustrated, well-detailed brochures.

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31 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Only negative I can see is that the wheelhouse is not a 2 minute job to disassemble requiring you to lift off the roof then lift out and store the side panels.

 

You will need to disassemble the wheelhouse pretty much every day you are cruising as it looks unlikely to fit under many of the canal bridges. If you plan to use it as another 'room' then you will have to reassemble it each evening.

 

Where are the roof and side panels stored when you are cruising ?

 

The wheelhouse has a removable roof and the front and rear panels fold down, allowing the side panels to be lifted out in sections.

I can understand the concern regarding the wheelhouse and has been deliberated by myself alot!
 

Current/previous owners had it refitted 2 years ago using Perspex making it lighter to dismantle and easier to repair. Still not a 2 minute job granted but it didn’t concern me when I tried myself. In time I’m thinking I could get the knack of it and would be a 5 minute job! 

 

In the summer side panels and roof strut’s can be stored away in a bespoke top box. The front panel folds down on hinges onto the roof. The rear panel folds in half on itself then onto the rear cupboard. 

 

The wheelhouse is self draining if moving in bad weather so no risk to flooding the engine room underneath. 
 

Roof canvas can be more accessible clipped to the top of the rear cupboard and used as a cover if don’t want to reassemble it all but want it protected from the elements overnight (or if a really bad unexpected weather)

 

Or if want to use it as permanent extra room like you say then re assemble. Time will tell but likely will use as a extra room.
 

Get it’s not for everyone but I like the having the option and think the space will suit me and my dog. 
 

 

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47 minutes ago, booke23 said:

 

Looks good. If you are going to CC then I’d fit as much solar as I could to the roof. 

Nice one! That was something I provisionally looked into. Believe I can add them to current setup as it’s pretty good spec.
 

Seen some solar panels that are the flexible kind and hardly notice they are on the roof. The bigger panels are more obvious but probably more effective. Still debating which route to go down regarding that.

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4 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

Seen some solar panels that are the flexible kind and hardly notice they are on the roof. The bigger panels are more obvious but probably more effective. Still debating which route to go down regarding that.

 

Easy choice - don't go the flexible route.

They break, they are more expensive, they can damage the roof paint, and they only last half-the-time that 'rigids' last.

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1 hour ago, Owls Den said:

Nice one! That was something I provisionally looked into. Believe I can add them to current setup as it’s pretty good spec.
 

Seen some solar panels that are the flexible kind and hardly notice they are on the roof. The bigger panels are more obvious but probably more effective. Still debating which route to go down regarding that.

 

The flexible kind might seem attractive but I'd stick to rigid panels. Mount them flat, as close to the roof as you can and they won't look much different to flexible. Obviously you can't walk on them. I wouldn't bother to facilitate tilting the panels, but that's up to you.   

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Seconded (thirded!) about the solar. It is likely that the flexible ones will let you down. Big rigid panels seem to be much better. 

 

As for the vessel itself I think the boat will be rather impractical for boating but it is each to their own and OP did ask for honest views. 

 

Have a good time. 

 

Not sure how honest is appropriate here ;)

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I did comment on your other thread that as the doors open inwards they create a dead space that must be kept clear, and that would limit the use you make of the wheelhouse as a room. Do the doors lift off when the wheelhouse is down and you cruise?

 

Tam

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2 hours ago, Athy said:

It's not a thing of beauty from the outside, especially at the bows, but that extended forward cabin means that there should be ample interior space. Unlike on some barge-style boats, thew side decks are of a usable width, too.

 

Good to see that ABNB (who sold our last boat 16 years ago) still produce their clearly-illustrated, well-detailed brochures.

Will be on my own plus dog most the time so after deliberating decided won’t be using the bow space at the front much. 
 

Other boats I viewed mainly cruisers (ruled out trads, semi trads after viewing some) with that space I wanted to block off the bow doors to give a bigger more secure bedroom cabin space. And cover the bow to use as storage for bike or two. Even that plan kind of felt like a wasted area for me but making do. So when I saw the extended forward cabin and a big wheelhouse it felt like it ticked more boxes. Basically at this stage for me, it is more ideal.

 

But yes can definitely walk the side decks, something I checked out as somebody told me along the way sometimes can catch buyers out on a Dutch Barge.
 

When you say not a thing of beauty, is that for you the shape of the bow, or the fact of the extended forward cabin? Appreciated your honest opinion though, that’s what I asked for!😁

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3 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

I wanted to block off the bow doors to give a bigger more secure bedroom cabin space.

I'm not quite clear as to whether you still intend to do this - but for chrissake don't! Imagine you're in the middle of the boat, a fire starts towards the stern - how do you get out?

 

My thing of beauty comment was because I didn't find the outside of the boat very handsome. But, as I hinted, you don't live on the of it, and the interior looks spacious and comfortable, which is more important.

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1 hour ago, booke23 said:

 

The flexible kind might seem attractive but I'd stick to rigid panels. Mount them flat, as close to the roof as you can and they won't look much different to flexible. Obviously you can't walk on them. I wouldn't bother to facilitate tilting the panels, but that's up to you.   

Very helpful thankyou. I do find the look of the tilting panels to be a bit much! On my motorhome I fitted a decent size panel that folds up I can move around on a long lead with a little stand, so as to catch more sun as it moves. Might look into that aswell as on the roof for when moored up and what not. 

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46 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Seconded (thirded!) about the solar. It is likely that the flexible ones will let you down. Big rigid panels seem to be much better. 

 

As for the vessel itself I think the boat will be rather impractical for boating but it is each to their own and OP did ask for honest views. 

 

Have a good time. 

 

Not sure how honest is appropriate here ;)

Defo ruling out the flexy solar! 
 

Honest views are welcome. Don’t see why that would be inappropriate, unless I’m not catching your drift ?
 

But after Friday I will have a much clearer idea of practicality of her for boating as this needs to be right first time. I have a soft spot for her already but if I can’t use it for its main purpose then back to the drawing board. 

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9 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

Very helpful thankyou. I do find the look of the tilting panels to be a bit much! On my motorhome I fitted a decent size panel that folds up I can move around on a long lead with a little stand, so as to catch more sun as it moves. Might look into that aswell as on the roof for when moored up and what not. 

To get enough panel area to be really useful on a boat this size (enough power) you need quite a big area of panels. The only sensible alternatives are flat panels -- either on tiltable mounts or flat-mounted -- or good-quality semi-flexible panels bonded to the roof, which are reliable when done properly.

 

Flat panels are much cheaper and easy to add on, semi-flexible can look better but are much more expensive (about 5x?) and really need skilled installing when the boat is built.

Edited by IanD
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48 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

I did comment on your other thread that as the doors open inwards they create a dead space that must be kept clear, and that would limit the use you make of the wheelhouse as a room. Do the doors lift off when the wheelhouse is down and you cruise?

 

Tam

For some reason I didn’t get a notification for that but went back to the ‘downside of Dutch barge’ thread to read. 

 

Correct the doors open inwards. They are made of steel and do not lift off when cruising or when the wheelhouse is down.

 

There is dead space behind the doors and would limit the use as a room. More thinking of using it as a semi outside space though more than a indoor room. Thinking couple of bar stools that can be moved where the doors swing to make best use of this space 
 

Something I will now check on Friday, is if when opened they will swing all the way back and clip onto the internal wall. Appreciate the comments Tam cheers 

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19 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

On my motorhome I fitted a decent size panel that folds up I can move around on a long lead with a little stand, so as to catch more sun as it moves. Might look into that aswell as on the roof for when moored up and what not. 

 

Yes you could do. It would have to have some sort of releasable roof mount which would also have to be storm proof....in other words very strong!

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38 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

Very helpful thankyou. I do find the look of the tilting panels to be a bit much! On my motorhome I fitted a decent size panel that folds up I can move around on a long lead with a little stand, so as to catch more sun as it moves. Might look into that aswell as on the roof for when moored up and what not. 

Tiltable panels can produce more solar, as an example where we are currently moored on the Llangollen yesterday we had 132W from the solar, after tilting this went up to 332W. Both reading taken within a minute of each other and no clouds or obstructions. Again today we saw a peak of 323W with panels tilted. The differences may not be as marked in summer when the sun is higher, but in winter it has convinced me that tilting is worth it. fwiw my panels easily go to 45 degrees and we are optimally sited just now.

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31 minutes ago, Athy said:

I'm not quite clear as to whether you still intend to do this - but for chrissake don't! Imagine you're in the middle of the boat, a fire starts towards the stern - how do you get out?

 

My thing of beauty comment was because I didn't find the outside of the boat very handsome. But, as I hinted, you don't live on the of it, and the interior looks spacious and comfortable, which is more important.

I don’t intend to do this now, albeit if I end up with this boat. It was my intention though and create a shed at the front. Which definitely wouldn’t of been very handsome/beautiful… But as they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder 😉

 

However this boat has no way through from the stern it’s completely enclosed. In the case of a fire I believe keep calm and a swift exit through the Houdini skylights situated in the kitchen and walkthrough bathroom would be in order.. !

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3 hours ago, booke23 said:

 

Yes you could do. It would have to have some sort of releasable roof mount which would also have to be storm proof....in other words very strong!

Should of said the one I am mentioning goes into a flat thin bag, stored under a bed or whatever until it’s sunny☀️ 

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You don't want portable solar on a boat. It's not practical. 

 

I prefer fixed flat panels if they are big. I did do DIY trackers with satellite dish motors yars ago but with these terrifically large panels we have these days it seems better to have them fixed. Jack them up off the handrails with something like Stauff clamps and you get a nice setup which is not going to blow away. 

 

Angled definitely does increase output but also increases hassle and needs to be very strong in case of freak winds. 

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3 hours ago, PCSB said:

Tiltable panels can produce more solar, as an example where we are currently moored on the Llangollen yesterday we had 132W from the solar, after tilting this went up to 332W. Both reading taken within a minute of each other and no clouds or obstructions. Again today we saw a peak of 323W with panels tilted. The differences may not be as marked in summer when the sun is higher, but in winter it has convinced me that tilting is worth it. fwiw my panels easily go to 45 degrees and we are optimally sited just now.

Didn’t consider the difference between summer and winter. I guess in the winter it’s more important to squeeze extra wattage from the sun!

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15 minutes ago, magnetman said:

You don't want portable solar on a boat. It's not practical. 

 

I prefer fixed flat panels if they are big. I did do DIY trackers with satellite dish motors yars ago but with these terrifically large panels we have these days it seems better to have them fixed. Jack them up off the handrails with something like Stauff clamps and you get a nice setup which is not going to blow away. 

 

Angled definitely does increase output but also increases hassle and needs to be very strong in case of freak winds. 

That sounds cool with the DIY trackers and sat dish motors!

 

The portable one is a idea to kind of boost but still have roof panels. Found it handy before as have a 15m lead so the motorhome is in the shade but the panel is basking in the sun. Or if the sun moves behind trees when moored and roof panels aren’t picking up any sunlight then move the portable one. 
 

Don’t know if it’s worth the effort however, and it’s a different environment naturally. 

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