Your Barging Experience
Here at Bargecraft we offer more than a typical boat school. Not only do you have the chance to learn new boating skills and your desired RYA certificate and/or ICC in the beautiful environment of South West France, but you can truly experience what it is really like to spend relaxing time aboard a lovely barge. You will be our guests during your time onboard, so expect a wonderful activity holiday with satisfying home comforts and a warm welcome.
The whole experience is about enjoying your time onboard including sharing mealtimes with us, when weather allows we usually dine outside on our 'petit jardin' decked area. We start the day off with a light continental breakfast - just who can resist warm croissants fresh from the oven? Lunch en route is nutritious and satisfying to keep you going through the day and your evening meal, with wine rounds the day off in style. Fresh, homemade cake and biscuits with morning and afternoon tea or coffee are very popular, even the local eclusiers eagerly await our passage to sample the days baking. You will be contentedly satisfied after a tough days training and tasty home cooking.
We spend a relaxing evening over dinner simply chatting about the boating world, living in France, boat choices plus of course putting the world to rights. Whatever topic springs up with our guests.
When your day is done you'll find an air conditioned comfortable cabin waiting for you; and often guests take full opportunity to relax in this tranquillity to revise for their CEVNI examination. Our cabins have ample storage for your personal belongings for your comfort and convenience during your stay. We now offer both a double cabin and a single cabin with shared bathroom, which offers more opportunity for solo/single guests to share the experience with like-minded boat enthusiasts.
For those looking to unwind on anything other than boating, there is also access to hundreds of films or UK television channels via our onboard system in your cabin.
If you are at all apprehensive of what life afloat has to offer then sharing our experience of this lifestyle may be just what you need.
Facilities Onboard 'Somewhere'
'Somewhere' is a young barge, built in 2006 by Delta Marine in Warwickshire. She has crossed the English Channel on three occasions, the latter two voyages with her current owners, Steve and Jo. She meets all current safety standards and is fitted with all the necessary equipment required by the EU, including a Class 'A' AIS and electronic navigation and communication systems.
Main Salon
Located immediately forward of the galley area is our main salon. This is an air conditioned area we invite you to share and relax in with us at your leisure. We can receive British satellite television if you need to keep up with the news or simply pipe through background music should you prefer.
Although on cooler days we would propose to eat indoors, when weather permits, we always eat on the upper deck just forward of the wheelhouse in our 'petit jardin'. It's a lovely place to watch the world go by and when passing walkers or cyclists wish you 'bon appétit'...
Galley area
Our galley area has everything a modern kitchen is expected to hold, utilising a recently installed gas hob and oven facility as well as a dual purpose microwave oven. We once had a dishwasher, but we didn't need two as Steve is well practiced! Today, two fridges enjoy the limited space we find on a barge. Our table can accommodate six people, but our record for an onboard meal is more than double that!
Engine Room
'Somewhere' is fitted with a Perkins Sabre 135 engine and a Vetus 6 kva generator set. Her central heating is provided by an Eberspåcher system, providing hot water to her seven radiators.
Her bow thruster ensures improved manoeuvrability.
She has six 190 watt Victron solar panels making us quite self sufficient for power in the long hot summers in the south of France. Additionally, 'Somewhere' boasts her own water filtration system, meaning that we can make our own drinking water on the inland waterways if we find ourselves running short.