Description

FOR SALE – Drie Gebroeders 50ft Dutch Barge Tjalk with MOORING at Springfield Marina, East London

Follow this link to a video tour of Drie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umXzGoqK0og

A two bedrooms home, on a secure mooring in the heart of East London with a vibrant community and trees all around.
Drie Gebroders is a 50ft Dutch tjalk built in 1914 at the shipyard of Minne Moles van der Werf in Sneek, Holland. She was originally used as a sailing cargo ship on the Frisian canals, until 1961/62 when she was rebuilt/converted to a traditional Dutch barge sailing yacht at the famous shipyard of  I.Blom in Hindeloopen (still well known for outstanding yacht design). At that time Drie was shortened from the original length of 55ft to 50ft. The craftsmanship onboard is outstanding, with amazing bespoke mahogany floors and hardwood throughout, a beautiful teak backdeck and ship's brass portholes.

(I have lots of history to share if you would like to know more thanks to a enthusiast of historic Dutch sailing barges who sent me all records since Drie was built in 1914. The website he contributes to can be found here: www.skutsjehistorie.nl )


I brought Drie over to the UK in 2015 and I have lovingly refurbished her without loosing the original look and craftsmanship. The hull was originally built in 7mm riveted steel and 85% of the hull has been over-plated, including the ice breaker and the keel, with solid sheets of 5mm. The remaining 15% of original steel is of great thickness between 6mm-7mm. This is an unusually solid barge. Drie was blacked in June/July 2021 and then again in August 2023 and she has a survey from 2021 (can be shared on request) and also a more recent survey from 2023, that can be transferred into the new owners name. She was recently re-painted (2021 & 2023) inside as well as outside (cabin, roof and deck).


Drie is on a permanent mooring 'on the wall' in Springfield marina. 'The wall' is the stretch that is actually on the River Lea so there are no boats moored on either side, only along the bank. West Warwick Reservoir is alongside, so the area is very quiet with lots of birds and wildlife. Springfield park and Walhamstow marshes is opposite. There are lovely views of the river, as well as privacy. There is also a little garden patch that I've grown vegetables and flowers in, a washing line for laundry and a shed for storing logs, bikes and bits.
The mooring is transferable with a 10% selling fee (included in the purchase price) paid to the marina. The monthly rent is £409. This gives you access to the showers, toilets, the launderette, water, elsan point, free parking, security and the marina bar which is fantastic. But most of all the community in the marina is just wonderful, and we will miss them dearly.

Drie is the most beautiful boat and I am reluctantly selling her as I now have two children. She has been the most wonderful home as well as a music venue, rehearsal space, art studio and she has also been used for film shoots. She has many extras, beautiful rare details and fantastic woodwork throughout. Everything has been done with great care and best quality in mind. The mooring is private, peaceful, has great neighbours and is secure, and the little garden is a wonderful extra.




BSS safety certificate has just been renewed until September 2027

Specifications

Accommodation

video tour here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umXzGoqK0og

Drie could originally sleep 10 crew, but I have converted the space into two bedrooms with the capacity to sleep 3 people (or 5-6 on the bedsofa if friends are visiting), and by reducing the berths on board I gained a bigger living room and kitchen.

The double bedroom has a fitted double bed made from mahogany (with storage and the water tank underneath) as well as a small single berth. There is also a bespoke wooden wardrobe, bespoke cupboards, a folding desk, bookshelves, wood-fired stove and an antique French copper bath in this room. There are two brass portholes as well as two roof hatches: one above the bed which is wonderful and airy to keep open on summer nights, the other an old mast hatch in wood, which adds a nice wooden detail to the room. Mahogany floor throughout. There are two 240v sockets, one by the bed and one by the desk, run by a 1000W pure Sine Wave inverter. The walls are painted in Farrow and Ball paint.

The single bedroom has a single fitted bed made out of mahogany (with storage and drawers underneath) as well as a bedside table/cupboard. There is one brass porthole in this room, one 240v socket and a painted pine floor. Walls and floor are painted with Farrow and Ball paint.

The toilet and hand-washing sink is tucked away behind the door leading from the kitchen/livingroom to the bedrooms. There are doors between all rooms which makes the toilet private when they are closed and gives the boat a great sense of space when they are open. There is a bespoke toilet cupboard as well as some shelves. The floor is a mahogany and teak grate, which gives access to the bilges and it is also a great bilge vent.

Main living area and the kitchen has a raised sofa/lounge area that can fold out to sleep one or two people. It is also a great dining area, with two large oblong brass windows on either side which are at eye level so you can see the river and the wildlife outside. There are also the lead stained glass windows that look out over the back deck. These windows can be shut with the teak bespoke shutters from the outside if privacy is required. There is great storage under the sofa, and some beautiful drawers, as well as the 150 liter calorifier.

Opposite the dining/lounge area are bespoke larder cupboards, as well as an amazing Nectre Baker's Oven from Australia:

https://www.nectre.com/en-au/nectre-bakers-oven#m-au-p-17

This is the most incredible fire, as well as an oven and a hotplate to cook on. It is unusual in requiring very little wood while still warming the boat, as well as the oven which is great for pizza, baking or cooking food. The combustion chamber is on top of the oven with a glass window so you can see the flames from the sofa. Very cosy and efficient.

Next to the oven is the kitchen galley, with the original stainless sink and taps as well as a modern two ring Smeg gas hob, all set into a mahogany work surface. There a bespoke cupboards underneath and a new energy efficient Maeco 12v fridge.

Opposite the kitchen in the other corner is an open space which currently has a cosy reading armchair with antique bookshelves inlayed under the gunwales. There is also a writers desk built in to the side of the seating area which nicely divides this room into separate spaces whilst still keeping it open and full of light. There are two portholes in this room as well as two skylights. Antique reclaimed brass ship lights throughout.

Construction

The hull was originally built in 7mm riveted steel, 85% of the hull was over-plated 2016, including the ice breaker and the keel, with solid sheets of 5mm. A recent surveys from 2021 & 2023 states that the over-plated steel is still 5mm,
welds beads were complete and in good order. No bellying of the over-plate. The remaining 15% of original steel is of great thickness between 6mm-7mm. She was blackened in three coats of apoxy in august 2023.

Equipment

Works that were carried out when she was refurbished are:

over plating 85% of the hull in 5mm steel
over plating gunwales 5mm steel
restore external wood
new storm shutters on back deck, in teak
new hatch covers
repaint superstructure
new anodes
replace and repair porthole structure, new seal
new gas lines
new electric fuse board and wiring (12v & 240v)
new solar-panel and 240v 1000w pure sine wave inverter
two new leisure batteries
new water-pump
new water tank, food grade plastic
remove walls and ceiling and replace insulation
remove sea-toilet, install Thetford cassette toilet
install rare antique French copper bath and pump-out
new calorifier for hot water
rare antique reclaimed brass ship lights throughout (Japanese and Italian)
extensive reconditioning work to the engine
new packing and stern greaser for the propeller
restoration of tiller in steel
two new multifuel burners (Morso and Nectre oven)
BSS safety certificate until September 2027
Reconditioned propeller

Engine(s)

The engine is river cooled 'Aries Marine' with a 'Parsons' gearbox. The engine has been recently serviced and refurbished, including UK speck fuel lines, new speed control unit, reconditioned fuel pump and temperature gauge and cooling unit. The engine was serviced in October this year and the propeller has also been reconditioned and re-pitched in August 2023.

Sails & Spars

No sails or mast

Safety Equipment

New BSS safety certificate until September 2027

Location Map