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For Sale: Your ticket to Barging the inland waterways of Europe

For Sale: Your ticket to Barging the inland waterways of EuropeFor Sale: Your ticket to Barging the inland waterways of EuropeFor Sale: Your ticket to Barging the inland waterways of Europe
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For Sale: Your ticket to Barging the inland waterways of Europe

For Sale: Your ticket to Barging the inland waterways of EuropeFor Sale: Your ticket to Barging the inland waterways of EuropeFor Sale: Your ticket to Barging the inland waterways of Europe
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For Sale: Replica Dutch Barge

For Sale: Replica Dutch BargeFor Sale: Replica Dutch BargeFor Sale: Replica Dutch Barge
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Boat in a lock

We had a dream of spending 6 months a year boating in Europe travelling the inland waterways. Encore made that dream come true when we bought her in 2013.  Now it is time to pass her on to new dreamers.  Perhaps that will be you?

About Your barge for the inland waterways of Europe: Encore

Replica Dutch Barge

Vineyards on the Marne River

Barge Details

Encore's History

The Good Points

  • Length 17.5 m, 57.4 ft
  • Width 3.9 m, 12.9 ft
  • Water depth 1.1 m, 3.6 ft
  • Air draft 3.2 m, 10.5 feet
  • Interior headroom 2 m, 6.5 ft in almost all places
  • Perkins M 130 Sabre diesel engine, a little over 3600 engine hours
  • Keel cooled
  • Vetus bowthruster
  • Victron 3000 watts MPPT controller
  • 8  deep cycle 110 amp house batteries, arranged in 2 banks of 4 , pro

  • Length 17.5 m, 57.4 ft
  • Width 3.9 m, 12.9 ft
  • Water depth 1.1 m, 3.6 ft
  • Air draft 3.2 m, 10.5 feet
  • Interior headroom 2 m, 6.5 ft in almost all places
  • Perkins M 130 Sabre diesel engine, a little over 3600 engine hours
  • Keel cooled
  • Vetus bowthruster
  • Victron 3000 watts MPPT controller
  • 8  deep cycle 110 amp house batteries, arranged in 2 banks of 4 , providing 880 amp hours of 24 volts
  • 2 12 volt high crank truck batteries for starting engine
  • Dedicated bowthruster battery bank and generator battery
  • Two 400 watt  solar cells 
  • 6 mil steel everywhere except bottom plate, which is 10 mil steel
  • 2 400 liter fuel tanks, interconnected
  • 1000 liter  stainless steel  potable water tanks,   400 liter polyurethane water tank dedicated to the toilets
  • 400 liter polyurethane black water tank
  • Webasto diesel heater
  • icom M243G V'HF radio

Meaux - Chalifert Tunnel

The Good Points

Encore's History

The Good Points

  • Central steering wheel for better visibility to both sides
  • Wide side decks for safer handling
  • Perkins engine with plenty of horsepower for rivers, only 3600+ engine hours
  • Exceptionally strong, wide keel cooling made from  6 mil steel    Keel cooling is especially useful traveling canals with invasive weed issues
  • Weed hatch in engine room allo

  • Central steering wheel for better visibility to both sides
  • Wide side decks for safer handling
  • Perkins engine with plenty of horsepower for rivers, only 3600+ engine hours
  • Exceptionally strong, wide keel cooling made from  6 mil steel    Keel cooling is especially useful traveling canals with invasive weed issues
  • Weed hatch in engine room allows access to prop from inside the boat
  • Engine room access is by a door in the wheelhouse, no need to take up a floor
  • Room to stand up in the engine room, plus much storage space
  • Wheelhouse floor is removable if required for large items in or out of the engine room
  • Forepeak with storage, control for black water tank pump, bow thruster battery
  • Heavy duty bollards front and rear 
  • Bow thruster on a separate battery
  • Solar power removes need to plug in at every mooring
  •  All walking surfaces are painted with International Interdeck non-skid paint for greater safety

Notre Dame from the Seine

Encore's History

Encore's History

Encore's History

Encore's hull was built in 1996 by Tayberg Steel in Brighouse, Yorkshire, England. She was commissioned by a gentleman known to us as Dr. Tony, who took her as a bare boat and supervised the fitting out. The design is that of a replica Dutch barge of the LuxeMotor style . He named the boat Fenix. We have some photos and receipts from Dr. 

Encore's hull was built in 1996 by Tayberg Steel in Brighouse, Yorkshire, England. She was commissioned by a gentleman known to us as Dr. Tony, who took her as a bare boat and supervised the fitting out. The design is that of a replica Dutch barge of the LuxeMotor style . He named the boat Fenix. We have some photos and receipts from Dr. Tony's time. In about 2000 he changed the engine to the current Perkins diesel and added the keel cooling.

In 2001 or so he brought Fenix across the English Channel and travelled about the French canals for a time. 

In 2005 or so he sold the boat to an American couple from Texas by way of Thailand.They renamed the boat Leprechaun II, after their sailboat, Leprechaun I.  Terry and Iris travelled around France, Belgium and the Netherlands until age and health problems led them to put the boat up for sale.  In their ownership period they did some remodelling of the interior, in particular removing the wood burning stove which allowed for more sitting room in the salon.

We were looking for a boat in 2013, after several years of rental boats and reading up on the Barge Association website we thought we were ready to take to the water in earnest.  We had discovered that many barges, though quite long and roomy, did not have the head room that 6 foot 6 inch Stan needed,  This boat appealed to us and when we established the headroom was 2 m everywhere but the wheelhouse, we decided to go for it. 

Stan came over and met with Terry and Iris, drove the boat a bit, and was there for the survey. We did the purchase in America in US dollars, which was very simple, and in 2014 we took possession and began life on the waterways.  

Pretty much the first thing we did was re-name her,  not being especially attracted to leprechauns.  

Water spilling into lock

Living Aboard

Why "Encore" ?

Encore's History

  • Wheelhouse with central driving control, bench seating with storage underneath
  • 5 steps down to salon
  • Corner sofa, coffee table, desk, wall mounted TV, expandable dining table and chairs
  • Kitchen with upper and lower cupboards, drawers
  • Propane 4 burner stove and oven, with igniters
  • American style refrigerator with freezer compartment above
  • Low po

  • Wheelhouse with central driving control, bench seating with storage underneath
  • 5 steps down to salon
  • Corner sofa, coffee table, desk, wall mounted TV, expandable dining table and chairs
  • Kitchen with upper and lower cupboards, drawers
  • Propane 4 burner stove and oven, with igniters
  • American style refrigerator with freezer compartment above
  • Low power microwave that is kind to the electrical system
  • Guest bedroom with bunk beds, built in chest of drawers,  attached room with toilet and sink and skylight
  • Master bedroom with walk around double bed, built in closet with hanger space and shelves, side shelves, reading lights, window plus attached room with toilet and sink and skylight
  • Roomy stall shower in an area that can be closed off from salon and  master bedroom
  • Skylight in salon is removable for moving large items in and out
  • There is a washing machine in the engine room
  • There is 2 meter headroom everywhere in the wheelhouse and interior rooms except 2 doorways are a bit less - the engine room isn't quite 2 m but is still a good height for most people


Tunnel on the waterway

A Few Caveats

Why "Encore" ?

Why "Encore" ?

We think your should know as much as possible about a boat you are considering buying. No boat is perfect just as no house is perfect (we know because we used to sell houses). These are areas that could use some remodelling or refurbishing in the future and this is reflected in our price 

  • The windows are single pane, some are difficult to 

We think your should know as much as possible about a boat you are considering buying. No boat is perfect just as no house is perfect (we know because we used to sell houses). These are areas that could use some remodelling or refurbishing in the future and this is reflected in our price 

  • The windows are single pane, some are difficult to open, the window sills need some refurbishing
  • Last owners installed a pergo type floor in the salon over top of carpet squares.  The pergo is getting worn around the stair area
  • There is no grey water capture system - shower, sinks and washing machine water is taken directly outside
  • The black water tank has been mended - the welded plastic seems to be holding fine
  • There has been a persistent leak around the left hand wheelhouse door that we have been unable to solve. As a result there is water damage to some of the new wheelhouse wood around  the bottom of the door. 
  • We have loved the non skid paint for its safety but it does need to be cleaned with a power washer (included) now and then and it needs more paint maintenance then slick yacht paint does. 
  • The Webasto heater can be cranky and currenlty needs some maintenance


Along the Marne au Rhin West

Why "Encore" ?

Why "Encore" ?

Why "Encore" ?

In French, encore means again, still, in the sense of continuity, persistance. 

In English it means ,among other things, a second achievement ,especially one that surpasses the first. 


We had been coming to France in particular and Europe in general on vacations during our working days, since 1999.  So both as a  continuity and a second act

In French, encore means again, still, in the sense of continuity, persistance. 

In English it means ,among other things, a second achievement ,especially one that surpasses the first. 


We had been coming to France in particular and Europe in general on vacations during our working days, since 1999.  So both as a  continuity and a second act after retirement that could perhaps surpass the first....Encore seemed a perfect choice. 


A perfect choice for us.  You may have a different name in mind and neither Encore nor the Hammonds will mind that. 

Large lock gates

Along the way

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

  • New roof installed,  9/15.  Raised the roof so that the standing height in the middle is 2 meters. 
  • Also added solar panels on self built frames that provide good air circulation underneath. 
  • Installed a new water heater, 4/17. Water heats from electricity when  plugged into shore power and from the engine when it is running.
  • New wheelhouse 

  • New roof installed,  9/15.  Raised the roof so that the standing height in the middle is 2 meters. 
  • Also added solar panels on self built frames that provide good air circulation underneath. 
  • Installed a new water heater, 4/17. Water heats from electricity when  plugged into shore power and from the engine when it is running.
  • New wheelhouse interior wood, new salon skylight, 10/18
  • New refrigerator, 9/17
  • New VHF, ATIS enabled, 4/18
  • New washing machine, 6/19
  • Hull cleaned and painted, 9/19
  • Upgraded the Victron MMPT Controller to 3000 watts, 6/21
  • Custom made skylight covers, 4/22
  • New shower pump, 9/22
  • Replaced hand pump for black water tank with an electric pump, 4/23
  • New stove and microwave, 2023
  • New engine mounts, 6/25
  • Dry docked, bottom cleaned and painted,  6/25

Dendermonde lock at sunrise

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

We are asking $110,000 for the sale, which will include essentially everything on the boat except our clothes and some art work on the wall. 


Ideally, we would love to arrange a sale in US dollars, handled in America with a notary or lawyer as the go between . We are open to various forms of contract. We expect the buyer to want to do thei

We are asking $110,000 for the sale, which will include essentially everything on the boat except our clothes and some art work on the wall. 


Ideally, we would love to arrange a sale in US dollars, handled in America with a notary or lawyer as the go between . We are open to various forms of contract. We expect the buyer to want to do their own survey but we do have a survey from June-July 2025 which we will be happy to share.  


Encore is fairly heavy at 40 tons so there are a limited number of places she can be gotten out of the water. We will do our best to cooperate with a potential  buyer as needed.


We expect the sale to be "as is" with regard to any items noted on our survey which we have opted not to fix and any conditions noted in Caveats. 


If the buyers are American it will be easy to arrange a transfer of registration with the US Coast Guard, which is where Encore is registered now. 


If the buyers are EU or British we will have to put our heads together and figure things out! 

Aisne River on a foggy morning

Contact Us

The Bottom Line

Contact Us

Our current plans are to spend most of July on the Seine and the Marne Rivers.  August and September will be in northern France, probably between the Marne and the Oise and the Aisne. 


You can reach us by email:


stan@thehammonds.com

or 

sharon@thehammonds.com


By text or phone:


Stan:

+1 510 393 6666

or

+33 06 62 92 99 78



Winter mooring is currently 

Our current plans are to spend most of July on the Seine and the Marne Rivers.  August and September will be in northern France, probably between the Marne and the Oise and the Aisne. 


You can reach us by email:


stan@thehammonds.com

or 

sharon@thehammonds.com


By text or phone:


Stan:

+1 510 393 6666

or

+33 06 62 92 99 78



Winter mooring is currently planned for either Sillery on the Aisne a la Marne canal or a newer port at L'Isle Adam on the Oise.  Both are within 2 hours driving time from Paris. 

Photos of Encore

    Engine room and forepeak


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