Houseboat 2025 now in the online auction. everyone can bid until 6 July 2026.
Characterful houseboat with history
This houseboat is a steel Dutch barge with a past you can feel the moment you step aboard. She was built in 1947 in the Netherlands as a former Shell oil tanker and later gained a second life as a liveaboard vessel. Over the years her character has only grown richer: a tough, industrial-looking ship, yet with the comfort you want when you truly intend to live on the water. Through BoatAuction she now gets the chance to move on to a new owner who wants to continue her story.
With a length of approx. 20.25 metres and a beam of 3.67 metres, the boat offers a notably spacious platform, both inside and out. Thanks to a draught of about 1.00 metre she is suitable for many inland waterways, while her air draft of around 3.26 metres makes her usable on routes where bridge clearance matters. The steel hull and flat bottom suit her origins as a working vessel and provide a solid, stable feel—ideal for anyone looking for a houseboat that can genuinely feel like home.
Houseboat 2025 now in the online auction. Everyone can bid up to and including 6 July 2026.
What makes her history so special?
She began life in commercial shipping and was later converted into a houseboat by a British couple. With those owners, the houseboat travelled for many years and was lived on intensively, giving her today an atmosphere you won’t find in a brochure. In 2023 she was taken over within the family with the dream of living aboard, but due to circumstances that dream was far too short-lived. Now the boat is being passed on with care, so she can once again become a place where plans become reality: quiet living along the quay, longer trips, or a combination of both.
How does she handle and manoeuvre?
The boat is equipped with a Bedford 300 S diesel inboard engine. She has six cylinders and delivers 73 kW, which equals about 99 hp. Combined with a propeller shaft and a three-blade propeller, this suits a displacement hull like this Dutch barge well. Her cruising speed is around 8 km/h and her maximum speed is about 10 km/h—ideal for comfortable cruising on canals and rivers. For mooring and turning in tight harbours, an electric bow thruster is fitted, making manoeuvring noticeably easier.
What about onboard power and living off-grid?
Anyone searching for “buy houseboat†or “houseboat for sale†often also looks for autonomy. She is set up for that with onboard systems at 12V, 24V and 220V. On board are four AGM domestic batteries totalling 720 Ah, plus a separate starter battery. Energy management is supported by Victron equipment, including a 3 kW inverter and a battery monitor, so you can keep track of consumption and state of charge. Charging is possible via shore power, via the alternator while cruising, and via solar panels. In addition, there is a 6 kW Hyundai generator—useful when you want to stay off-grid for longer while still running household appliances.
Is she comfortably fitted out for full-time living aboard?
This houseboat is laid out as a complete living space. She features a dinette and a galley with, among other things, a refrigerator, freezer, cooker, oven and microwave. Hot water is available and heating is provided by a stove, adding to a homely atmosphere in cooler months. There is a shower on board and fixed berths for two people, making her particularly suitable for couples or solo living with room to host guests. With a water tank of approx. 500 litres and a diesel tank of approx. 500 litres, there is also a solid basis for longer stays.
What navigation and safety equipment is included?
For those who want not only to live aboard but also to cruise, the onboard equipment is a major plus. She has modern navigation gear such as GPS, chartplotter, AIS, VHF radio, depth sounder and compass. This makes her suitable for inland waterways and provides extra situational awareness on busier stretches. On deck there are fenders and lines, as well as a swim ladder. For safety there are, among other items, a lifebuoy and liferaft, and she is fitted with an electric bilge pump.
The boat was taken out of the water in 2024 and antifouling was applied in the same year. Documentation is available, with the very important point of attention that the CVO inspection expired in December. Anyone looking for a steel houseboat, a Dutch barge houseboat, or a spacious houseboat with engine and bow thruster will find in her a combination of history, living space and equipment that invites you to make plans. Through BoatAuction she is waiting for someone who will not only buy her, but bring her back to life.
