Barge Components
The first component set, the hull, has to be considered as a complete entity comprised of a number of often fairly expensive elements. Our hull, for example, included a DAF 1160 engine in good working order generating some 170 HP. We have no idea what this would be worth and, while we could find out, the price of the hull is not determined by adding the market value of the various elements. In the next page we spend some time discussing what constitutes a "sail away" package but for now it will suffice to say it should include a hull at a minimum thickness of 4 mm., motor and transmission in good working order, fuel tanks, rudimentary control panel, deck, superstructure, wheelhouse and possibly ballast if it was already in the hull.
In building the ship from the hull upward it is necessary to install the tanks early. These will certainly include a fuel and a heating oil tank and a fresh water tank, and may include a grey water and black water tank. The latter are increasingly important as nations, and particularly cities, begin to insist that waste water is not pumped into the river system. However, it is fair to say that few barges in the French canal system have such luxuries at the present time.
The electrical system is a combination of 230 volt, 24 volt, and 12 volt circuits fed by shore power, battery power and a generator. It may include solar power generating panels as an economical means of charging batteries. Our experience is with a ship built for full time live aboard use and we have found that there is not a lot of latitude in the cost or set of equipment needed to meet the day-to-day electrical requirements.
The water system consists of a fresh water tank, mentioned above, plus the pipes and pumps required to circulate water. It will require some form of heater, discussed as a separate component, and may involve a water purification system.
The waste system is generally made up of two sets of pipes, one from the sinks and bath or shower and one from the toilet. Each system requires its own pumps and may have a direct overboard outlet or involve grey and black tanks mentioned earlier. The pumpage method for the toilet system generally involves some form of macerator pump and may involve a vacuum pump system similar to those found on commercial aircraft.
The barge must have some form of heating system for year-round use which generally also takes care of the hot water requirements. Many barges use an exposed radiator system which allows for ease of maintenance. These are also quite economical to install and can be augmented with additional units without major upheaval. Given the very hot summer we experienced in 2003, it is wise to have a small air conditioning unit.
A purely optional component set is that of hydraulics. Generally these are used to power a bow thruster, spike or beam anchor, and car or boat lift. It is not a cheap option and the most common tool, the bow thruster can be electrically powered at a fraction of the cost. On the other hand, it is not an option that can be deferred as the pipes, hydraulic drive, and tanks have to be in position well before the flooring is locked down and can only be added later at major expense.
We have included finish as a component group for budgeting purposes. There is a wide range of finish available to the builder from chipboard to mahogany panelling. We elected to do the rough work ourselves and engage the services of a carpenter for the cabinetry and this provided some very decent results. We purchased a prefab kitchen which met our requirements very well and suits the overall decor.
We installed a tongue and groove ceiling combined with some beams provided by the carpenter and it had a good visual impact. For the floor, we simply had a commercial flooring company instal a solid board floor that matched the panelling we used sparingly through the ship.
The final component is that of appliances. There is a big difference in what one would select based on the number of months one plans to live aboard. Our ship is fully equiped, dishwasher and all, because we weren't going to rough it for 12 months a year but these luxuries do not add materially to the cost of the barge and should be tailored to your lifestyle aboard.
We have mentioned the "sail-away" purchase several times and it is an important starting point for creation of a live-aboard vessel. In the next section, and in the absence of a list prepared with more authority, we will define what we understand as the level of completion one should expect in a sail-away ship. Suppliers may not universally agree with our list, but it provides a common level of understanding on which to base configuration decisions.
