Exterior
The sweep of the hull and cabin top give this barge aesthetically pleasing lines. The ample deck space allows for a clean and uncluttered cabin top. The wide, non-skid decks with side railings provide a safe and secure way for crew to move forward and aft while underway and when handling lines in locks.
The covered back deck, accessed from the door to the wheelhouse, is simply splendid. It has an octagonal table with four chairs which can be augmented with additional chairs to comfortably seat 8. The canopy was professionally made in 2022 and is in excellent condition. The side panels (with windows) can be lowered for protection from the rain or cold, and provide the opportunity for al fresco dining throughout the year.
Finally, forward in the bow, there is a rope locker and a laundry room with a full-sized washer (new 2021), a separate dryer (new 2023) and a sink with hot and cold running water.
Interior
Victoria has large windows throughout the wheelhouse, galley and cabins, as well as three wooden butterfly hatches, all of which give the interior a light and airy feel. The merbau wood floors with cherry inlay in the interior of the boat were professionally installed. They were refinished in 2022/2023. Tasteful overhead lighting makes the boat truly warm and inviting at night. The white interior walls have a tongue-and-groove look and are accented with mahogany trim.
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The forward area in the boat contains the master cabin which has a walk-around queen-sized bed with storage underneath. There is ample storage in cabinets and hanging lockers built in on either side of the bed. The master cabin contains an ensuite bathroom with sink, toilet and shower. There is also a coat closet with adequate room to store the vacuum cleaner, ironing board and other items, as well as coats.
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Moving aft from the master suite is a hallway with a large pantry amidships and more built-in storage and shelving along the side of the hull. The large galley/dining room is equipped with a four-burner electric cooktop and oven, microwave, double sink, built-in refrigerator and freezer. For anyone who enjoys cooking, this galley is ideal and unique for barges of this size. The hand-crafted drop leaf dining table with four French cane-seated dining chairs add to the ambience of the room. We have comfortably served as many as eight at this table. The galley counterspace doubles as a serving buffet.
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Moving aft down a hallway with built-in cabinets and shelving, there is a separate guest room with two single beds and an ensuite bathroom with a sink, toilet and shower. The guest bedroom also contains built-in drawers, shelving and a hanging closet which can be used for storage when there are no guests. An added feature converting the doors of the closet into a desktop allows this suite to have a multi-function purpose – private guest room, home office, crafting area. Having the guest room and ensuite completely separate from the master suite provides privacy and is a very attractive feature of this boat.
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Four stairs (with storage under the staircase) lead up to the large wheelhouse. The wheelhouse is very comfortable for entertaining and with the large windows, one gets a 360-degree view from this area. The upholstery was professionally redone in 2021. An area rug accents the warm feel of this room. The wheelhouse has a 41-inch Samsung television that slides out of view into a built-in cabinet. Two circa 1910 wood upholstered chairs provide additional seating to the L-shaped built-in settee. There is a large amount of storage beneath the settee. The settee can easily be made up into an extra bed.
Systems
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Victoria has a Scania DS-11, 200 hp turbo diesel engine. She has two fuel tanks, 1800 liters for white fuel and 2300 liters for red fuel (for heating and the generator, and taxed at a much lower rate in France and Belgium). An electric bow thruster makes maneuvering easy.
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Victoria has MasterVolt electronics, including an inverter (new 2023) providing 240-volt power throughout, alongside a 24-volt system for lighting, instrumentation, etc. She has a large domestic battery bank (new 2023) and a 12-kw generator that can power the entire boat when shore power is unavailable.
Victoria has a 2200-liter freshwater tank that, along with a 95-liter calorifier (new 2021), provide ample, well-pressurized hot and cold water throughout. -
In the winter, the boat is warm and toasty thanks to the Kabola central heating system (new 2021) with 10 radiators providing even heat throughout. The wheelhouse and master cabin have roof-mounted air conditioners.
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Victoria is registered on the Dutch Kadaster (2930 B Gron 1953) and has been assigned European Identification Number 02202930. She meets all regulatory requirements for cruising Europe’s inland waterways. She has her ES-TRIN certification (SI 16241 NL), a mandatory EU certification (valid until June 2026).
