Dutch barges are many people’s idea of the ideal cruising houseboat.

Firstly they tend to be between 70 and 120 feet in length, and between 12 and 20 feet wide, and therefore provide a good amount of living space, with level headroom of at least 6 and a half feet.

Secondly, wheelhouse aside, Dutch barges tend to be on one level throughout making conversion a relatively easy process. In their working lives Dutch barges were normally used to carry materials along the waterways, and so the design was usually for one large open hold to maximise carrying capacity, again ideal for conversion to a houseboat.

Thirdly, Dutch barges tend to be flat bottomed and relatively straight forward to navigate, making them easier to take along inland waterways of the world, where other cruising boats sometimes have trouble due to a deeper draft, making a Dutch barge ideal for a travelling lifestyle.