Crazy...

I've seen this happen before, but this time I was really surprised. Here's the story but no names as I'm sure the affair is not finished.
Somebody contacted me to ask for help and advice in building a hotel barge. I willingly agreed as this subject really interest me. I've been messing around with hotel barges for most of my life.
So after quite a few telephone calls about serious subjects such as navigation permits and safety standards, cruise concepts, routes and many other things, we decide to meet and inspect the current state of advancement of the barge, as the launch schedule is now long overdue (6 months).

Well on the agreed day, I drive some 250 kilometres to checkout the barge and how the conversion work is going.

Before I explain what I saw, here is some of the background story.

A couple of years ago, some very rich person who we will call Mr X, came on vacation to France on a standard hotel boat. Mr X though this was the best thing since sliced bread, better than his 50' yacht which cruises in the Caribbean, better than his private jet. Mr X. had just fallen in love with the French canals and rivers. I think you now understand that this person has a lot of money. In fact

The next year, Mr X decides to bring his friends and have a great time, but wanted bigger cabins than on is previous cruise. So he charters two barges and has a wonderful holiday. Whilst he was cruising, he starts to talk with the owner of the charter barge about how this barge thing is just so incredible. The barge owner suggests to Mr X. that it would be a good idea if Mr X. builds his own boat.
So the guy says "how much for one like this?"
The barge owner says "About 750 thousand Euro"
"OK" says Mr X, "I'll send you the money and make sure it's as good as this".

Well you can imagine what the barge owner is now feeling... We'll call him Mr. B (B can stand for what ever you like). Mr. B now has a million dollars in his hands.

Mr. B, goes off to Belgium and buys a 50 metre barge, as most of the French canals are only for 38metre boats, the barge has to taken into a ship yard and have 12 metres removed. Once that is dine, the boat is imported into France and taken to a fairly remote location where the rest of the conversion work is to be undertaken.

The months pass by, Mr X is informed by Mr B that there will be delays and more delays... So eventually Mr X calls in help.

So here I am looking at a half converted barge, that is already 6 months behind plans. It was moored along side Mr B's own hotel barge. Before going aboard, I walk up and down the quay and look at the hull.

I thought it a shame that the hull hadn't been sand blasted whilst it was being cut in half in the dry dock. That would have saved time...

I continued to examine the hull, which looked in fairly good condition, well compared to Mr B's hotel barge, which although with only two years service had some incredible dents and smashes around the bow. When I mean dents, I mean the steel has been pushed backwards 10-15 cms with the shape of a large ball, and not just once. I was hoping that the new pilot of the new vessel was not to be the same as the person, who had been bouncing the other barge in and out of locks.

As I heard the main engine of Mr X's boat starting up, I went to the stern to take a look, a bit smoky, but nothing that an engine overhaul could not clean up. I noticed the cooling water trickling exhaust of a generator, which was pumping very blue, I was sure that I had told prior to my visit that the generators were brand new. As I looked at Mr B's barge which was moored along side, I realized that there was a very new air cooled generator on the stern. Perhaps the mechanic had installed the new generator on the wrong barge... I thought !

A small van arrived and parked beside the boats, the van appeared to belong to the local "plasterer", three young men climbed out and started unload dozens of plaster board sheets to take on board the barge being converted. I said hello to the boss and asked how business was going. He told me things were great, lots of work to do. He explained that his company was really happy to install the bathrooms on this barge, he had never worked on boats before and was really enjoying the challenge. I mentioned to him that it was quite unusual to use plaster-board on boats, even if it was treated against humidity. He replied in saying that's what he always used in houses.

What also struck me at this time, was that the barge was already drawing about 1.55 metres, they had only just started to fit out the first of five bathrooms on the lower deck, and need a total of 60 sheets of plaster-board. Now plaster-board is fairly heavy, plus all the windows on the upper deck had to be fitted, all the wood panelling, all the furniture, the stainless steel kitchen and much more. So in the end that would be quite a few more tonnes of weight, being optimistic, let's say the barge ends up drawing 1.7 metres. Mmmm, those portholes where already set quite low on the water line !

Well this all means that there would quite a few canals where the boat would not be able to cruise, and a long gang-plank would be required to moor up anywhere else.

The surprises continued to surprise me with the methods and techniques being used, no plans just ideas, no budget just spending...

In the afternoon, Mr X arrived and greeted me, thanking me for my time and advice prior to the visit. Together we looked around his luxury conversion and then headed off to a nearby bar to discuss matters.

He asked me about my experience on hotel barges, which I explained, we talked about the business side, the client side, the crew salaries and approximate costs of converting an old barge into a luxury hotel. I indicated a total price, which I calculated based on other conversions which I had seen in recent years.

When I announced this figure, Mr X's mouth dropped and there was a look of pure frustration. "I've already passed that number... and we're only have way through". He explained that there was no fixed budget and he just wanted the best.

After a few hours we said good-bye and would remain in contact. A few days later I sent a complete report, detailing what I had seen. The next day I received the following reply from Mr .X
"I found major problems that I must address. So it is probable the barge will be sent back to Belgium for more work and I do not expect it to return for 6 months. 4 months in Belgium and at least 2 months with the current contractors."

I'm not sure what your feelings about Mr B. are, it is clear that he's having fun ripping off Mr X.
As for Mr X. who is very rich, I just do not understand how he became so rich and yet remains so naive.

Season 2007 Midi closed ?

We've been hearing reports that the Canal du Midi may be closed to all traffic for this season, or at the best only open to boats with a very shallow depth 60-80 cm !!!
This is very bad news for all.
The hotel barges will have to change their routes and programs.
All on the river Rhone and Saône ?
Some of them will may decide to cruise up to the Burgundy or the Centre.
As for the self drive, I heard they'll be able to cruise, but in convoys which they say will help save water.
The images we saw of the Saint Férreol reservoir showed almost no water. However it has been recently emptied so that renovation work could be done.