Description

Sea Otter 12.19m x 3.35m Wide Beam, Aft Wheelhouse Cat C Inland and Coastal Cruiser. 0.95m draft 2.3 metre air draft.
Comprehensive photos and info is provided on our web (see link below)

Please use the web form to start any enquiry and include a mobile contact number - response will be made within 24 hours. No brokers thank you.

Key points: good overall condition; 2016 survey and 2017 out of water blacking; 1450 hours on Nanni Diesel TDi 85hp engine; high spec design and build; component based around Vetus and other brands, so spares are easily available; high spec Mastervolt electrics using high end components / sub systems, inc Whisper 3Kva remote start /stop generator; neat and professional wiring loom; boat is compact, agile and capable of solo operating on canals / rivers; full of creature comforts - excellent cabin height (6' 7) , double bed sizing (6' 11" max bed length).

Lots of relevant refurb work and money spent in last 5 years with documentation and records.

Located currently South France - possible perm mooring 80 euros per month in serviced village port with facilities inc bar and resto, easily accessible to UK with connections by air from Toulouse (90 mins) and Bordeaux (75 mins).

SUMMARY
A well specified top of the range Sea Otter aluminium hulled boat, exhibited at the Olympia 2004 Boat Show. Subsequently well maintained with low engine hours. 10 years on Thames and Thames Estuary, more recently used as a liveaboard and leisure fishing vessel on South Coast.

Water ballast system makes for excellent stability at sea /estuaries etc in varying conditions up to Force 4. It also enables it to be lifted out and transported easily at around 12 tonnes dry weight. Hull construction is of 8mm marine grade aluminium which the 2016 survey reported to be “in excellent condition” and the boat systems in overall good condition.

Major refurb and refit Feb – April 2016 prior to crossing channel in May 2016 into the French canal system (via Calais / Cambrai / Epernay / Paris / Migennes / Auxerre/ Chalon sur Saone/ Macon/ Lyon / Avignon / Carcassonne/ Toulouse / Moissac. Currently at Buzet sur Baise.

Nanni diesel is a respected French marque (Kubota based) and spares are easily available in France and UK dealers like Peachment.

May 2017 Out of water inspection, hull checked, jet washed and blacked using INTERTUF 16 (3 coats). New phenolic ply stern decking fitted, 2 large cockpit 610 x 610mm hatches removed, cleaned and resealed, complete new set batteries August 2020 inc domestic bank, bow thruster, starter and genny. Victron 15/75 Solar MPPT both bluetooth remote monitoring with 350 w panel. Wind genny. Life raft. Davit. Passerelle.


This has been our home on the French Waterways for 4 years and is an ideal boat for a couple who look for a relatively inexpensive and economical foothold to enjoy life on French waterways. Nulife has the facilities and comforts of much larger barges but at a fraction of the running costs and represents good value at its modest price point in this market segment.

Nulife was adapted for the trip through the French canal system, for which it has proven to be very suitable with a water draft of .95 metre and low airdraft of 2.3m – a truly go anywhere boat on the system.

This boat suited us working two handed but is also easy to operate single handed for canal work - useful as we both cannot always crew so navigation could continue when domestic issues in UK made demands!

Nulife is agile and turns on a pin easily with bow thrusters fitted both fore and aft – it is thus easily manouverable in locks. Engine hours under 1500 and has been carefully maintained. Full service July 2020. It crossed the channel in its stride and its sound construction and many safety features, including robust marine standard glass, autopilot system and seaworthy bow gunwhale drainage gave a high level of confidence to skipper and crew. Even in the very lively conditions we experienced at sea, the boat was very stable and felt solid, safe and secure.

Believed to be one of a series of approx six made by Sea Otter and is the highest spec of all these (was the Sea Otter show boat at Olympia in 2004), affording very good levels of comfort, including three sources of hot water (a) hot water from engine stored in calorifier, (b) thermostatic immersion coil (shore power) (c) Eberspacher diesel fired hot water system.

The engine is economical and averages 2 / 2.5 litre per hour and operates quietly free of vibration thanks to the indirect aquadrive coupling mechanism.From the saloon the engine is barely audible thanks to impressive sound insulation.

We never experienced problem with fuelling, even in northern France where fuel stops are scarce as the range is substantial and up to 150 hours operation (over a month typically) between fuel stops are possible still with plenty of margin. We also carry 100 litres in jerry cans as backup. Likewise we found water roughly once a week even in the more remote areas – the water tank capacity of nearly 700 litres proved to be more than adequate for two people's consumption.

Heating is by warm air system on a timer and thermostat - is very effective and the Webasto unit was sent away and comprehensively serviced in 2016 with low hours since.

The whisper generator provides domestic mains power on tap with push button start / stop (battery on gennie is new) and is both quiet and economical (fed from the main diesel tank). There are two 210 amp high quality domestic batteries with continuous readout from the control panel on consumption and available power. This means you are able to monitor and recharge as necessary.

Mastervolt intelligent transfer switches automatically detect presence of shore power / generator / invertor power in hierarchy and allow you to choose your power source with a lot of flexibility and failover if one power source drops out. This is a costly feature found in high end boat fit outs and all the electric sources are well integrated via a Mastervolt control panel. There is a fully tested galvanic isolation system that protects the boat whilst on shore power.

Turning to the domestic side, the galley kitchen runs into the saloon making it very sociable. It is extremely well fitted out with a high quality finish, wipe clean corian worktops and lots of equipment including 4 ring burner, grill, oven, fridge with freezer box, wine cooler fridge, ice making machine, dishwasher, Meaco Zambezi Dehumidifier, Zanussi 3.5kg washing machine and Hotpoint tumble dryer. Generous drawer storage with boat 'push button' closers and a capacious pantry cupboard. Meals can be taken in the saloon, on front deck or on the rear deck space depending onwhere the sun is!



The bathroom shower and loo are generously sized with good pressure and lots of hot water for showers, fitted with heated towel rails in each of both compartments. The shower door closed operates well as an airing cupboard with hanging rail and with its built in hot towel rail – great for clothes in wet working conditions. There is a nicely fitted ironing board stored in the bathroom.

The bedroom has plentiful double wardrobe space, bedside cabinets, LED reading lights for two and a double mattress (6' 6 - with 5 another extra inches to spare to each bulkhead making this ideal for taller members of crew!) with substantial and easily accessible storage underneath. The boat is fitted out in light American maple wood veneer with a refined level of detail and workmanship, including bespoke shelving for books & CDs etc.

The wheelhouse has a double hatch which provides excellent ventillation, access to the roof and viewing as required. In keeping with the high standard of Sea Otter boats design and construction, nearly all the systems are Vetus and component based – spares are easy to find and everything on the boat is accessible and neatly done. Both the plumbing and the electrics have been completed to a high standard of fit out and easy access. Floor access throughout the engine bay and stern make for hassle free maintenance.

Nulife is a thoughtfully designed boat and has been carefully maintained. She has a stern stowed passerelle made of fiberglass useful for wild mooring/ rivers etc. The combined solar and wind genny with backup generator make it ideal for off grid with minimal reliance on shore power. It provides for compact but flexible and comfortable accommodation for two, and up to four berths, with the occasional visitors in the saloon and / or wheelhouse if needed.

Nulife is capable of single handed operation in most conditions on inland waters. As relative newbies, albeit with previous canalboat experience (including hire of sea otter narrowboats), we took a lot of professional advice before purchasing with a full hull and systems inspection and sea trial. Nearly all the recommendations in the survey were acted on as we needed to be sure the boat was fit to cross the channel. We have not been disappointed.

To operate a barge in France you need a VNF waterways permit (roughy 350 euro per annum for this barge, you need insurance (roughly £350 ) you need a VHF operators licence (one day RYA course about £100) and a CEVNI barge certificate (a simple practical test that takes a day's training e.g. at Bisham Abbey - about £200).

Living in France on a barge need not be expensive once the basic setup costs have been covered - many cruising moorings have reasonable and even sometimes free or nearly free amenities water and electric (unlike fees for campervans and tents it has to be said!). The DBA (the Barge Association) membership costs about £45 per annum provides invaluable guides and information on its website from the many barge owners who spend time in France, Germany, Holland and Belgium, including detailed cruising guides to the canals in this area.


Boat Hin No – GB SOW 00172 L3 03
Net tonnage 11.23 and a Displacement of 7,500Kg
CE type approval. UK Boat Safety Certificate.
Built in 2004 by Sea Otter Workboats Limited


Boat Systems:

Nanni Engine 5.250 Tdi, six cylinder Diesel 85hp. 352185 Serial No 141011
Raw water cooled with Vetus strainer.
Aquadrive vibration free drive train.
Raymarine Autohelm, Speed, Depth, Rudder/Helm indicator
Plastimo magnetic compass
Icom Marine IC – 401 Euro VHF Radio / Standard Horizon Handheld
JRC Radar 1000
Wind direction indicator and radar deflectors
Eagle GPS with UK Coastal maps on data card
2 x Max Power 60KGF Bow thrusters( fitted both fore and aft)
Mastervolt Whisper 3.0KvA generator in silencer housing raw water cooled with Vetus strainer.
Mastervolt intelligent switches and control panel
Mastervolt Dakar Sine 12/2500 inverter
Mastervolt mass 12/80 battery charger
Twin alternators and X splitter charger
Eberspacher Hydronic heater
Webasto Air Top 5000 4 outlet heater
Calorifier Cylinder
Lofrans Progress 1 Anchor Winch/ Handheld Electric Windlass
Cleghorn Waring pressurised water system, CW383A
Par Max25PSI Automatic water system pump
Jabsco Shower drain pump 37202-2012
475 litre diesel tank
450 litre Black waste tank
450 litre water tank
Multiplex fibreglass folding ramp with handrail (stored aft)
Emergency liferaft
350w solar panel + Victron 15/75 MPPT controller w/ bluetooth
Rutland 913 Wind generator with combined solar / wind controller
Full set of ropes and fenders, lifebelts, lifejackets, miscellaneous emergency equipment. Main anchor with electric winch, emergency / stern anchor, two 'crab' river anchors. Emergency tiller. Emergency bilge manual pump.

Domestic Systems:
LED lighting throughout
Mains ring main and 12 v points throughout, Fore and aft shore power points plus weatherproof double socket bow area, engine room power socket (for lighting or overwinter heating tubes if desired)
Shoreline Fridge and Freezer
Bush WQP6-3202FS11 Dish washer
Delta Microwave
Spinflo, County Leisure, Caprice 2020 Oven and Grill
Zanussi 3.5kg Automatic Washer Machine
Meaco Zambezi Dehumidifier
Hotpoint 43l wine cooler
Ice making machine
Radio/CD player with built in 4 way ceiling speaker system
Satellite TV Dish and TV
Vetus Macerator Toilet

2016 Survey documentation is available on request. The recommendations in the last survey were carried out by a reputable boatyard and an investment of over £15,000 in fees, refurb, repair and new kit has been spent since.

Transport or relocation / navigation to your desired location and time of handover flexible to suit. There is a comprehensive set of manuals and data sheets for every item of equipment plus plans of the wiring and systems, boat design drawings and so on and a fully supported handover can be arranged, including all equipment, comprehensive maps/ guides, lifejackets and safety equipment.

Specifications

Accommodation

galley

foredeck

stern al fresco

wine cooler fridge

route log

routes through france

Engine(s)

Nanni 85hp 5.25 TDi

Location Map