Description

Hilda May is a 55' / 16.76M barge built by Piper Boats Ltd and launched in 2007. The barge is moored in Moissac, France, a charming village between Bordeaux and Toulouse, with convenient air and rail connections. The barge has 2 cabins and 2 bathrooms, plus a sofa bed in the saloon for extra guests. This is a beautiful and well-maintained barge with many extras, including air conditioning in the saloon/bedroom areas, sunshade/bimini over the aft deck, solar panels and two folding electric bikes. Servicing has been carried out annually, and a hull survey is available from the last dry docking and re-blacking in May, 2024. Perkins M92B engine hours 2423. VAT has been paid in the EU.

After commissioning, the barge spent one year on the Thames before crossing the Channel and continuing through France, travelling up and down the Rhone and on many of the canals in the middle of France, in the south and south west. As well as being very stable and able to cope with coastal waters, the barge’s draught (at only 0.7M) allows visits to many of the smaller waterways, passing under two of the lowest bridges on the network without dismantling the wheelhouse.

We are the second owners of Hilda May, having purchased the barge in 2018. We have comfortably cruised on the Garonne Canal, the Montech Canal, the Canal du Midi and the Tarn River. We are reluctantly selling Hilda May due to the advancing age of the owners.

Specifications

Accommodation

Wheelhouse:

Collapsible Hardwood Wheelhouse (exterior refinished in 2024)
Double doors opening directly onto aft deck
Drop down leaf dining table with seats and cushions for 4 people
Storage under dining table and seats
Radiator
Access to engine room
Life jackets and mooring hammer/pins

Aft Deck:

Sunshade/Bimini
Solar Panels
Table with four chairs and cushions
“Ring” Security light

Galley:
Kitchen units – wood facing
Stone worktops
Double sink with water filtre
Gas hob
Double gas oven/grill
Drawers and cupboards
Extractor fan
Microwave
Large fridge
Dishwasher
Clothes washer

Saloon:
Oak flooring and wall paneling with two storage cellars under floor
Large sofa bed (1.35m x 2.10m) with storage underneath
Wood cabinets with extensive storage
Air conditioning
Folding dining table for 2 persons
Folding desk
Radiators
TV, Blu Ray and stereo units with speakers
Glazed dog box with fly and sun screens, and canvas cover

Master Cabin:
Walk-around king-size (1.6m) double bed, with storage underneath
Built-in hanging storage and storage cupboards
Oak wall paneling
Air conditioning
Full-length mirror in hall
Radiator

Ensuite to Master Cabin:
“Wet” shower room
Electric macerator toilet
Basin (storage underneath)
Heated towel radiator

Guest Cabin:

Double bed (1.25m x 2.0m)(retracting for more space)
Fitted cupboards and storage cabinets
Radiator
Desk and chair


Main Bathroom:

Shower
Basin (storage underneath)
Electric macerator toilet
Heated towel radiator

Wheelhouse

Wheelhouse dining area

Aft Deck and table

Aft Deck

Galley

Galley and dining area

Saloon

Master Cabin

Guest Cabin

Shower in main bathroom

Galley and fridge

Construction

All steel hull and superstructure

Equipment

2 folding electric bikes (Byocycle)
2 air mattresses
Hardwood mast, fitted with aerials and horn
Dogbox with cover
6 x 12v Victron solar panels
Front barge fender, mooring lines (new) and spare ropes, fenders and tiptop fenders (including spares), gang plank, barge hook and pole, life ring
Navigation lights
Mechanical winch with bow anchor
Clothes washer
Tumble dryer

Bow and anchor

Navigation Equipment

VHF marine radio
Raymarine chart plotter
Raymarine depth gauge
Raymarine rudder display
Vetus bow thruster controls
Pump out control
Hydraulic steering
Throttle
Mastervolt display/control
Tank gauges

Navigation Equipment

Engine(s)

Perkins M92B Engine
PRM 500D2 gearbox
Raw water cooled
160kgf Vetus Bow Thruster
Mastervolt Whisper 6 Ultra 5.7kw generator
8 x domestic batteries
2 x engine starter batteries
2 x bow thruster batteries
1 x generator battery
Twin coil calorifier with 1kw immersion heater
DAB silent 240v water pump
3.5kw Mastervolt inverter/charger
Victron galvanic isolator
Central heating boiler

Engine and Generator

Electrical

Safety Equipment

Reboarding ladder
Fire extinguishers and a fire blanket
Smoke detector
Life jackets

Location Map