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Elessina is a 60ft long by 12'-6" wide Replica Dutch Barge.
Built by Piper Boats at Stoke-on Trent in 2004, to a sailawayplus specification and launched on 13th July 2004 at
Sheerness Kent on the River Medway.
The interior has been fitted out by
ourselves (Ian and Leigh) on her mooring at Port Medway Marina
on the River Medway.
Elessina
was fitted out for long term cruising / stays on board, we both worked full time (in the motor
industry and National Health) during the fit-out and gradually
made the
house downsizing and extensive stays on board.. Hundreds of people are doing the
same, many thousands are thinking about it. These web pages
record both the decision process, which lead us to choose to
spend more time afloat, and the building of our
barge Elessina, from start to completion (actually around 99%
completion as we are still working on her!!).
We are far from being 'barge experts' but have learned a lot
through the process, which we are happy to share with others
who are also contemplating the same life style change.....
Hence
this web site. When Elessina is complete we will navigate the UK
canals, then in a few years time Ireland and the European continental canals down to
the Mediterranean, and maybe even the Black Sea.
One thing we have learned above all else is that when asking a
question about barging there are very few definitive clear
precise answers, but we have found that getting the practical
viewpoint from barge owners is second to none.
But one question that nearly all barge owners agree on, If you
wish to live on a boat, the 'barge' option is very hard to
beat, and the bigger the interior the better, but if you wish
to do some cruising the smaller the barge length the better…..
So you can see straight away why there are no clear-cut
answers, only you can decide which best suits your
requirements. Hopefully our experiences will help you decide
what is best for you. There are over 40 pages on our 'barging.co.uk'
web site, some of these pages contain over 10,000 words and
many many photos. If you think barging may be for
you, there is a lot of information here to digest, but then
making the change is a big decision that
can not be taken lightly, it is not for all, but nearly all
that make the decision having take the time to investigate the
pro's and con's love life on board.
Please Note. We just boat owners willing
to share our 'venture' into barging.
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