Elessina Replica Dutch Barge Build Fit-out

This page shows the building of our barge Elessina, with the latest photos at the top of page. Elessina was built by Piper Boats at Stoke on Trent to a sailaway plus level, we completed the fit-out on our mooring at Port Medway Marina on the River Medway in Kent. Elessina is 60 ft long x 12'-6" wide has a 12mm thick 5ft wide flat bottom with 8/10mm thick angled side chines.

Steel construction photos the initial fit-out at Piper Boats and DIY Fit-out on her mooring plus some cruising / external photos are now on separate pages.

September 2008

Limehouse Dock, alongside Baglady

Starting to become a fairly familiar sight!. We have cruised under Tower Bridge 5 times now

July 2008 - River Thames

Coming upstream to the bridge just prior to Cullam Lock. We have been through here 4 times now, always with wheelhouse up. On our return there was a grp cruisers moored up on the right and 2 more through the bridge (waiting to get into the lock). A tight squeeze!!..

At Henley, July 2008, Hot air balloon above, Royal race course behind

Approaching Sonning Bridge. Providing we keep to the centre of the arched bridge, we go under with wheelhouse up easily.

Oxford. Moored just below Folly Bridge opposite Christ Church meadow. Photo taken from under University Boat House bridge

February 2008

Breakfast bar added.

Fortunately the granite style worktops are still available so we were able to match existing.

29th March 2007

Saloon area, now completed (but before breakfast bar was added).

One of the last remaining jobs to be done was the main stairs down from the wheelhouse into the salon / galley. We have had temporary pine wood stairs from early on, but though practical, they did not look very good. We wanted to use the area behind the stairs for storage, but at the same time have it look tidy. Nearly every barge we have been on over the last few months we have looked for creative ideas that we could copy. In the end we decided to simply carpet over the existing. Photo above left shows 2 stairs carpeted. Middle all complete, with wicker boxes on shelves under the three lower stairs. Close up right shows how it was done, with Iroko strips down each side of the stairs covering the side carpet edge. The middle (dark) carpet is a standard width carpet tile (B&Q) so can be easily replaced when worn. We are happy with the end result, and it was a very cheap way of completing it.

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Last updated 03 December 2008