Accommodation

Calliope is a 2 cabin, 2 en-suite barge with generous saloon, galley, wheelhouse and decks.

She is fully insulated, double glazed and heated throughout. The central heating and hot water is provided by the Bubble PJ diesel-fired boiler located in the engine room. This heats radiators in the wheelhouse, saloon, the two cabins and heated towel rails in the two shower rooms. An immersion heater and the engine (via a Calorifier) also heat the domestic hot water.

Further warmth, and a cosy glow, comes from the Refleks diesel powered stove in the saloon.

SALOON

The saloon is spacious, light and airy with the 6 large windows (3 each side) plus a Farrow and Ball Wimborne White finish. Curtains are at every window and external magnetic ‘sun-shades’, new in 2024.

A 2m bespoke black lacquer console along one wall is designed to hold TV, books, DVDs and other media. Hidden behind this is wiring from the mast for satellite and aerial connections. Four cupboards on the saloon side of the kitchen peninsular give plenty of places to keep things.

A double sofa bed can be left aboard, allowing easy conversion of the saloon into an extra bedroom.

The Refleks oil powered stove, with glass wall panels behind, has its own space in one corner.

There is a large underfloor storage area which also gives good access to both the black and grey water tanks.

The opening Dog box above brings in more day light and air. It has 2 external covers, a weatherproof one for winter and one to provide summer shade. Internally, there is a fly screen and a black out blind.

At night LED lighting is available from above, or, for a gentler tone, from under the gunwales.

The saloon and galley have engineered oak flooring throughout - beautiful, hard wearing, and easily cleaned. A blue hessian rug currently covers most of the saloon floor.

THE GALLEY

Calliope has a special, larger than normal galley, planned by a (retired) top-end kitchen designer. It is fitted to minimise electricity use, an important resource on a boat. Amenities include a Liebherr full height fridge with freezer box, Smeg fan assisted gas oven with integrated grill, a Barazza 4 burner gas hob, fitted flush to an extensive stainless steel work surface. The extra large stainless steel Franke sink is micro-welded into the worktop.

Kitchen storage has been thoughtfully planned to provide more than enough space to store pans, cooking utensils, food, tableware and cutlery, and extends beyond the galley to a 3.6m wooden surface with full depth drawers and cupboards beneath. The Siemens washer-drier and ready-plumbed space for dishwasher are along this run. The units are lacquer finished in Farrow & Ball Cornforth White, maintaining the brightness of the saloon.

A Vetus 470mm square roof hatch in the galley area brings in extra light and air.

MASTER CABIN (bedroom)

The master bedroom is situated at front of the boat and has a walk round UK Kingsize bed with mattress, with 4 storage drawers below. A gentle angle to the wooden headboard gives extra comfort when sitting up in bed.

There are built in units consisting of drawers and cupboards with a deep wood surface above. A good-sized full length wardrobe, and bed side storage tables with drawers beneath complete the cabinetry in this area. Reading lights are on each side of bed. The entrance to the bedroom has a large mirror with shelf beneath; useful for vanity purposes.

An opening window, also an escape hatch, above the bed brings light into the room. A porthole each side adds to this. curtains are at all windows. This room has air conditioning, operated via a small control panel.

MAIN SHOWER ROOM (en-suite)

The en-suite has a generously sized glass sided walk-in shower. The heated towel rail, Jabsco toilet with an electric flush/macerator system, Corian wash basin with mixer tap and cupboard storage beneath complete a functional and elegant space.

The DAB Easybox pump (situated in the engine room) ensures good pressure in the shower, basin and toilet with very low operational noise levels.

A 470mm square Vetus hatch in the ceiling opens to 120°, allowing light and air into the room; there is also an opening porthole.

SECOND CABIN (bedroom)

The second cabin is designed and placed with visitors in mind. It is towards the stern, away from the Main Cabin, this giving more privacy. There are two long, full width, single beds with comfortable mattresses. Storage is found under the beds, in a full height wardrobe, and a deep unit between the beds.

There is another 470mm square Vetus hatch in the ceiling bringing in light and air; there is also an opening porthole.

SECOND SHOWER ROOM (en-suite)

The second shower room opens from the second cabin, allowing visitors privacy. There is a 90x90cm shower cubicle, a small hand basin with mixer tap, and a Jabsco toilet with an electric flush/macerator system.

THE WHEELHOUSE

A short passageway leads from the galley and saloon, past the second cabin, and up 5 steps to the wheelhouse. We love this space, not just when cruising, but as a place to sit and watch waterway life and weather pass by.

At the top of the steps a lockable door and hinged flap give additional security below decks.

The wheelhouse is the point of entry with stable-doors port, starboard, and out onto the back beck. It is constructed of steel below, and wood above, with all-round double glazed windows, The top half is fully collapsible, although we have never needed to do this; Calliope fits under every low bridge encountered in France and Belgium.

The full width windscreen can be dropped separately and this gives marvellous ventilation when cruising on a warm day.

All windows have full pull-down white roller blinds (new in 2024). A ‘pop-on’ windscreen curtain is available when the wheelhouse is doubling up as a bedroom.

There is a good-sized drop-leaf dining table with storage in the centre pedestal. Upholstered bench seating lines either side (re-covered in 2024). There is storage under the port side bench and access to the engine room under the starboard side bench.

An extra double bed can be set up in the wheelhouse by moving the table and utilising timber struts stored in the engine room.

The back doors of the wheelhouse open out onto the back deck. Three back deck chairs and a small table come with the boat. A parasol is on board when shade is required, although we love the ability to sit in the open air on the majority of days when it is not too hot.

BACK DECK

The back deck is enclosed by a stainless steel rail. It is a pleasant place to sit and enjoy the environment, with floor level ambient lights for the evenings. There is a deck locker with enough space for ropes, stakes, mallet and more. At the side off the wheelhouse is the gas locker; this holds 2 large gas bottles to fuel the hob and oven.

(A third, much larger, locker is on the front deck - see below).

FRONT DECK

At 2.3m, Calliope has a much larger front deck than most Piper boats. This allows a large locker where it is possible to keep 2 x bikes, workbench, paints, spare fenders, the parasol (out of season) and gardening bits and pieces. The locker measures W 340cm (max); D 105cm and H 110cm with a 340x61cm hatch entrance.

It is also far easier when managing ropes at the bow of the boat; there is much more clear space to work in and we think it relly helps with the elegant lines of the boat.

There is a third reason; visitors love to take the big cushions (included) to the extra long 2.3m foredeck and sit quietly with nothing but the gentle swoosh of water and the fresh aromas of the countryside as we cruise along.

There is a smaller chain locker for the anchor, sited next to the Lofrans Italwinch mechanical windlass.

ENGINE ROOM

Steps lead down into the engine room where you will find the Mastervolt electrical system, the battery bank, the Keel-cooled engine cooling system, Hot water tank, Bubble PJ heating unit, DAB Easybox Mini ‘quiet’ pump (new in 2024), Weed Hatch inspection point, emergency tiller, manual bilge pump, black and grey waste water pumps, etc.

Calliope’s engine room is particularly spacious, giving extra storage not just for for tools and equipment, but also for luggage etc.

Central to the space is the Beta Marine 150hp engine coupled to a PRM hydraulic gearbox.

CRUISING AND NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT

Located on the dashboard area in the wheelhouse are all the controls needed for when on the move. There is a selection of switches that control the navigation lights, horn, windscreen wiper, steaming light, anchor light and deck lights. There are numerous gauges that provides information regarding RPM, oil pressure, battery voltage and temperature, Rudder angle and water depth. A Raymarine Ray49E VHF radio is installed here along with Raymarine A Series Navigo. The Joystick for the Bow Thruster is also located here.

Construction

• Steel construction to all but upper wheelhouse sides and doors.
• 13mm Lloyds grade A shot blasted & primed base plate
• 8mm Lloyds grade A shot blasted and primed hull sides
• [Hull up to rubbing strake was professionally sand blasted, primed and painted in 2024]
• 5mm Lloyds grade A shot blasted and primed superstructure
• 6 double stainless bollards, 4 single stainless-steel bollards

Included in the Sale

Boat equipment**

• Full set of Ropes, Fenders and mooring pins with mallet
• Electrical cables for shore power, plug adapters and usage meter
• Nauti-talk 2 way communication headsets
• Horizon handheld VHF radio (new 2024)
• Comprehensive set of waterway maps for France, Belgium and Netherlands
• Potable water hoses and connectors
• Boat hooks
• Life Jackets (adult and child)
• Ladder
• 3 Fire extinguishers (new 2025) and fire blanket
• 2 x French Gas Bottles (+ 2 x spare Belgian/Dutch empties) 
• Bosch submersible boat washing pump and hose (new 2024)
• Sack truck
• Black and Decker workbench
• Parasol and stand
• External shades to dog box, and windows (new 2024)
• Mop, brush, buckets etc

Domestic equipment**

• 3 back deck chairs
• 1 back deck table
• 2 Foam light blockers for Venus roof hatches 
• 2 electric fans
• 31” flat screen Panasonic TV
• Kärcher indoor/outdoor vacuum cleaner
• Canon printer/scanner
• Anglepoise wheelhouse table lamp
• Breville toaster
• Breville blender
• Set of crockery
• Set of cutlery
• Set of pans
• Set of kitchen utensils 
• Mirrors to both cabins (bedrooms) and en-suites
• ALSO two bikes, one folding
   

** Any items not required will be removed from the boat

*VAT STATUS - Calliope has photographic and documentary evidence that she was in Europe on 31st December 2020 and, as such, retains the Union Status where VAT has been accounted for.