No.1’s Ten reasons NOT to own a barge...

With a name like No. 1, who better to construct a (not entirely serious) list of reasons why you should NOT own a barge!

(1) Owning a barge is awesome but I wish I’d known a few things!!

(2) The loo situation is not ideal. For three years running we have talked to specialists about getting a tank and proper loo installed. We keep on putting it off as we’ll need to lift most of the floor in order to get one in!! In the mean time, we empty it very regularly. Nice...

(3) We need a surprising amount of kit to keep a boat fit for cruising. This is challenging when you also need to make room for a sofa etc. Compromises had to be made and I said goodbye to some very lovely shoes...

(4) Clothes are ruined on a regular basis as you end up doing an impromptu job and before you know it, you’re caked in diesel.

(5) Painting the whole boat in just two weeks was possibly the hardest thing that I have done in my life. Of course, having done it, you then spy another boat that’s even more beautiful and the green monster appears.

(6) We’ve just had a really cold spell and we have gone through approximately 500 litres of diesel in 10 weeks. Enough said...

(7) Every one thinks that staying on a boat must be brilliant but it can be very stressful. When we take her out, you are always conscious of her size and weight. The waterways can get very busy in the summer and stopping this beast takes time.

(8) If we could do it again, we would consider getting a wider boat. We are a class of barge that is one of the narrowest. Its been great finding out about her history but when you’re trying to find a sofa to fit and space for storage you realize that half a metre more goes a lot further. I miss a washing machine!!

(9) There is not one straight line on this barge. Refitting a room can be challenging and time consuming. It took us 6 months to complete the wheelhouse. We now understand the concept of “boat time”.

(10) And last but not least... cost! It must be said that Fenrir does have a special talent to directly connect to the nearest bank account, enabling an instant and near total dispensing of funds, requiring no intervention whatsoever from the account ‘holder’. Owning a barge is not cheap!