Where and how did I buy my barge, the Vereeniging? Those who've read Watery Ways will know that I spent months looking for a barge. I scoured websites like Boten te Koop and Fikkers. I also checked out our local version of e-bay, which is called Marktplaats.nl and then there was the word of mouth recommendations of which there were many. I also visited many barges, some of which were just collections of rusting rivets held together by lacework of rusting steel, a bit like the ones below.
You should also arrange for a keuring (inspection) to have the bottom checked again, plus other safety measures. We didn't do that for the Vereeniging. The result was - well - catastrophic. But I'm not going to go into that here. I've done it before (here and in Watery Ways) and I'm writing about it again in more detail for Harbour Ways, so I wouldn't want to spoil the story, but suffice to say, when you're buying a boat, there's a bit more to it than buying a book - and it's not just about the costs involved. Oh no.
All the same, it's immensely exciting, and now I've added the links to these sites, I'm simply going to have to go and browse through the barges for sale.
It's just…well…. irresistible!
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You have made me laugh Val. You're doing the challenge and then changing all the rules,well it works!
ReplyDeleteHehe, Anne, I'm enjoying doing the fringe version :-) I never was very good at obeying the rules anyway, but I'm glad you like it! xx
ReplyDeleteWe knew a couple who lived aboard a sailboat, but you're the only person I know who lives aboard a barge. I think that's cool.
ReplyDeleteHere we go again with something in common! I put a wanted advert on Apollo Duck after having failed to find what we wanted and someone responded offering us Bonnie. Also we fell in love immediately and didnt bother with a survey prior to purchase, luckily for us when we eventually got one done everything was fine. If we did everything the easy way and followed the norm, life wouldn't be so exciting (maybe a lot less stressful, but lets look on the positive!!!) xxx
ReplyDeleteCarol, you'll have to 'meet' some more of my boat blog friends. Most of them live on barges. Fran here lives on a sailboat now, but as soon as her barge is ready, she'll be living there too!
ReplyDeleteFran, I was very unlucky, I know, but that's the price I paid for my impulsive behaviour! I loved the Vereeniging and would have bought it anyway, but I might have paid a bit less :-)
Hahaha you are as bad as me and 2CV's. I owned 2 at one time, but that is nothing compared with some of the people in my local group. One owns 6. It's called addiction.Mind, a couple of boats would be cool. One for you, one for your friends...
ReplyDeleteAaah, Carol, when you come and visit, I'll introduce you to my 2CV owner friends. We have a few 2CV fans in the harbour (I expect you might have guessed that given the somewhat alternative lot we are). I must say though that yours is MUCH smarter than theirs! I'd love to have one too but I've promised myself that my next car will be an old VW Beetle :)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Watery Ways I realised that buying and living aboard a barge is NOT an easy option or one for the faint hearted! :)
ReplyDeleteJenny, you are right about that. I cannot disagree, but it is wonderful :) I was very tempted by some of the barges I saw on the Internet last night. Try it, and you'll see what I mean...
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