1922 Custom Luxe 50' Barge50ft

I purchased Resolute in Hindeloopen NL in 1998, empty of all frills but in superb condition for her age. As it was late in the year for a sea-passage in an unfamiliar vessel, I therefore brought her to the UK on a transporter to Caversham on the river Thames. Converting Resolute took me years, I wanted her to be as seaworthy as possible despite our distance (then) from any saltwater.

Since I didn’t intend to part with the barge I was free to please myself, which made for some eccentric decisions. There is for example, no electricity on-board except a battery for the VHF and GPS sets, charged by a small solar panel. Cooking is on a wonderful Taylor’s pressurized-paraffin stove of the kind more often seen among round-the-world bluewater boats. Lighting is by oil-lamps, heating is by another wonder - the tall Clearview woodburner that is the beating heart of Resolute.

Convenience was never high among my priorities so I left the small wheelhouse just as it was, keeping headroom in the saloon to no-more than my own six feet and retaining the hand-start engine, which delivers a top speed of 4½ knots.

I discarded the original ballast and bought a ton of scrap lead which I cast laboriously into 80lb ingots, bolting these to the underside of two steel trays which were themselves bolted-down to the hull frames. The remaining floor of the hold was laid around these trays with pitch-pine boards. So now I had an internal keel fixed to the centreline and raised clear of the skin of the hull. The steel hull was foam-sprayed and lined. I was stubbornly attached to Resolute’s shapes and so i planked her (in-effect) on the inside with wide strakes to show off her beautiful curves.

Conversion completed in 2006, i then sailed her here to my home on the west coast of Scotland in 2011.

The hull dates from 1922 and was originally around 62' long, reduced in length to 50' in 1994. Some original build & purchase documentation has been retained.

• All steel plated hull & frames. 
• 1T lead ballast
• Removable (wooden) wheelhouse
• Deck hatches are unfinished with temporary wooden covers.
• The hull was grit-blasted, over-plated and epoxy primed in 2004/5.  Finished with an epoxy tar.
• Folding wheelhouse constructed in teak, finished with 10 coats of Epifanes varnish.
• Teak grabrails running the length of the coachroof forward, finished with 10 coats of Epifanes varnish.
• Wheelhouse and roof finished in two-pack paint.
• Hull, deck and coachroof finished in single-pack paint products.
• Internal re-fit completed in 2006.

• Bower Anchor - 50lb admiralty stockless small ships anchor on port bow with 30m chain
• Kedge Anchor - Fishermans
• Anchor Windlass - Simpson Lawrence (manual)
• Mooring Warps - Selection
• Fenders - Selection

• Steel bulwarks rising above deck level around deck edge.
• Centrally mounted anchor windlass on foredeck. Chain stowing in below decks chain locker. Anchor self stowing on port side.
• Large fairleads on top of bulwarks port and starboard.
• Large steel mooring cleats mounted on bulwarks forward and aft.
• Side decks running the length of the deck.
• Varnished hardwood grabrails running the length of the coachroof.
• Fixed steel tube pushpit railing around aft end.
• Timber frame folding wheelhouse with doors port and starboard.

• GPS - Furuno GP32
• VHF Radio - ICOM.
• Magnetic Ships Compass

• Fresh Water System - Stainless-steel tank (approx 200ltr) in engine room connected to manually operated tap in main saloon.
• Cabin Heating - Solid fuel stoves are fitting in main forward living space and aft 'luxe' cabin.
• Galley Stove - Taylors paraffin with grill & oven.
• Bath - Stainless-steel trough bath, manually filled.
• Heads - Lavac manual marine toilet.

The interior was fitted-out by the current boat-builder owner in a traditional to a high-standard. In addition to the separate aft cabin, the main accommodation consists of an open-plan layout with living, eating and sleeping quarters in one long open plan space.

Forepeak - Ladder access to the main quarters are from the steel hatch on the foredeck.  Dropping into the forepeak, includes the heads (to port) storage (to starboard) and the anchor locker / chain stowage area in the bow.

Between forepeak and main saloon area, further storage and hanging spaces exist both sides forward, prior to accessing the main living space.

Main Accommodation Area - The central area consists of a large double-cot bunk (to port) and the galley to starboard.  There are generous storage lockers located beneath the main bunk.

Galley - Consists of full-size worktops, drainage area & Belfast sink.  There is a Taylors paraffin cooker with grill & oven and plenty of storage in cabinets either side.

Moving aft there are open dining and navigation areas either side, prior to entering the main saloon area.

Main saloon - Aft bulkhead comprises of a tiled wall with stove & hearth. Main settee (to port) also houses a stainless-steel trough bath below.  Open area to starboard can be utilised for further furniture / seating etc.

Wheelhouse - Accessed from main deck with doors either side. Can be fully dismantled and stored on-deck in-order to reduce the airdraft.

Aft Cabin - Accessed from wheelhouse. It is believed the cabin still retains its original 'luxury' interior from which the class name derives. Wooden bunks either side with storage above and below.  Wooden infill enables single berth sleeping area. Second small stove mounted on the aft bulkhead. 

The engine room is located immediately below the wheelhouse sole. Sole plates are provide around the space with the engine mounted on solid bearers above the sole level. Access to the engine and ancillaries is excellent.

• Samofa 2-S-108 Marine Diesel Engine 30hp (1950)
• Hand crank only.
• 2 Cylinder, naturally asiprated, keel cooled.
• Slow revving max 1500RPM
• Mechanical gearbox.
• Steel prop shaft.
• Conventional stuffing type sterngland.
• Bronze, fixed, 3 blade propeller.
• Duplex fuel filtration system.

Ships Batteries

• Navigation Instrumentation Battery - 1 x 12v, lead acid battery.

Charging of the battery is by means of a coachroof mounted solar panel and charge controller.

The boats cathodic protection system is by means of large anodes attached to the hull plating and rudder.

Steering System

The boat retains the original large diameter, horizontal wheel designed to minimise air draught when transiting canals. The system is operated by a mechanical linkage acting on the rudder stock. A rudder position indicator is affixed to the head of the rudder post and is visible from the wheelhouse.

• Fire Extinguisher - x3 in two cabins & engine room.
• Fire Blanket - x1 in galley
  
  

In this case we are acting as brokers only.
The Owner is not selling in the course of a business. whilst every care has been taken in their preparation , the correctness of these particulars is not guaranteed. The Purchaser is strongly advised to check the particulars and where appropriate at their expense to employ a qualified Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey and/or to have an engine trial conducted which if conducted by us shall not imply any liability for such engine on our part.
This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.