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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
28 Apr 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 4 days
Feedback
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Details
Description
Hello,
I'm traveling by inland river barge (boat) through Europe, especially Holland, Belgium and France. The barge is an original Dutch built péniche and made for the old French channels. I still transport cargo sometimes and I am the third generation of a shipper family from both sides of my parents. I live and work alone on the barge sometimes accompanied by my girlfriend.
There is a simple separate (little) room for guests in the front of the barge which is not suite. (no sanitaire, but there is a chemical toilet and lavabo) Also a heating system, fridge/freezer and micro-wave. I live on the back of the barge in the skippers' lodgement.
The tasks to do depends on the person, cleaning, housekeeping, shopping and preparing meals? ? ? And serving the aperitif of the skipper of course at 18h00 exactly..LOL.
My intention is to make contact with other people and have an exchange of cultures.
Kind regards,
William
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️
Plans for 2025 :
** There are no plans actually. Maintenance on the 4 boats near Paris (Draveil).
** Also maintenance on the barge in Holland Rotterdam (Maritime district).
** Business (boat-trade) is unfortunately quiet. I hope to sell a boat, in this case I will go to Holland to find, buy and prepare a another boat and navigate it to French. Sometimes when a boat is sold we have to navigate it to the final destination.
Notes :
* Plans can suddenly completely change !!!!!!!! In fact plans change every day....So don't ask me what is going happen in future : I really don't know ! However I always can explain you how to come/travel to the boat. One thing is sure : There is always something happening ! It can be everywhere in the city, town, village or countryside...in the Netherlands, Belgium or French.
* IMPORTANT : After 30 years traveling and transport on the barge I set up another activity : I buy boats in Holland and sell the boats in French. It is also interesting, I see a lot of nice places and different people. The tasks for the "Workawayer" are the same. This is the best way - in this way I get back to the great and cool skippers life of the '80s, which means time to visit the areas where we come by, meet nice people and profit from local life in the places where I will be. (Notice: in modern inland shipping there is no time for this all, because of this I'm in the "boat-trade" now... :-)
* For the question "minimal stay for Workawayers"...complicated to explain : If it fits really well between us I prefer a long stay (this will be in a mix of countries NL, BE, FR) on the barge and/or pleasure boats. I prefer Workers who's stay for long time because if not they leave just as I have explained everything. Sometimes shorter stays are also possible. Feel free to contact me also for short (2 a 3 weeks) stays, sometimes I can use a Workawayer immediately to move a boat, but this will be always last-minute. Often "Workers" don't show up on last moment so feel free to contact my if you're available on last moment.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
House sitting
Interests
Architecture
Carpentry
History
Nature
Sailing / Boating
Cycling
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I see a lot of different places and different areas... It is a quiet special life......sometimes chaotic but not boring. Even in the middle of a city it is or you live on the country site.. I meet a lot of different people.
Help
The tasks to do depends on the person. General housekeeping in de skippers and Worker lodgments, keep them clean in and outside. Do the shopping and preparing lunch and dinner.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
I want make my English and French better. Dutch is my mothers language.
Accommodation
There is a simple separate -little- room for guests in the front of the barge which is not suite. Also a heating system, fridge/freezer and micro-wave. (the situation on the pleasure boats is a bit the same as on the barge between good up to very basic (no suite), it depends of the boat). Note: From Mars 2021 there is a WC and shower also in the "Worker-room" on the barge but sometimes we are on pleasure boats and you have to accept more basic conditions.
What else ...
Offen there is time to visit the area. Somethimes several days off/free for visit and local travel. There is a bike on the barge. For good cooks there is a quit large budget for food and wine, in fact I like good food and meals......
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
I have most of the time quite good (mobil/cellular) internet everywhere for normal use.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Feedback (16)
We spend a great time together, Johanna is open for all aventure, a good diligent Worker, has good initiatives, took all… read more
I had never lived on a boat and I thought it was super exciting. We moved the boat only a couple times during my stay, from Tournai to a dock in Holland.
I was there to cook and clean but because there was also a friend of William's, there really wasn't… read more
William was a generous host and super interesting person with amazing stories. Even though… read more
Emily is the perfect Worker, always in a good mood, curious, smart and… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.8)
We spend a great time together, Johanna is open for all aventure, a good diligent Worker, has good initiatives, took all… read more
I had never lived on a boat and I thought it was super exciting. We moved the boat only a couple times during my stay, from Tournai to a dock in Holland.
I was there to cook and clean but because there was also a friend of William's, there really wasn't… read more
William was a generous host and super interesting person with amazing stories. Even though… read more
Emily is the perfect Worker, always in a good mood, curious, smart and… read more
We where together with my girlfriend and there was a good ambiance. Kate participated on the navigation,… read more
I read you feedback and I think whow…indeed it was a great trip, time and adventure…..Cécile came on board ( on a pleasure boat, so not the barge !!) near Macon and we want to go by canal du Centre, Loire et Nivernais to Auxerre but the second lock broke and our trip was finished already….in this job you really never know what go… read more
The experience was unique and if I could, I would do it again without any doubts.
William has a big heart and I am very glad I got to know him. Of course, it took a bit of time to get to know and get used to each other, but after a few days, I really felt at home… read more
Thank you for your great Help with the trip from Rouen to Chateau-Thiery – Rouen again and after the trip to s’Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. It makes live so much better whit good company and help……we past indeed a nice time together.
Tosca is easy-going, quick learner and clean. The Italian kitchen was great and she is… read more
William is fun, he's a good captain and a very good host, he always made… read more
Thank you for all your help on the trip indeed a part through rural (Marne-Saone canal) area and heavy -cold- weather conditions…fortunately the good type of worker for this trip. Maija is open, always in a good mood and adapt for all kind of situations. Good talk, company and cook…. Especially able to adapt ad very basic conditions.… read more
We past indeed a good trip together with various experiences. Vivik is a good and hard worker, take good initiatives, clean and excellent cook (Italian style…:). She even knows to drive barges, -can be useful on a farm ;) Always in a good mood, large interest, good talk and good company. Excellent Worker!
William, thank you so much for this little glimpse into your more or less crazy life. I had a great time! Grateful for all that I got to experience during my two weeks on the barge. Thank you for the work and the talks, and for all the extra stops you made along the way to Rouen so that I could see France. It was… read more
Thank you for your positive review. The (to) short time with you was great, you are the perfect Worker, agreeable person, diligent hard worker and clean. Thank you for your great Vietnamese kitchen plates….. I loved it !! We past a good time together, good talk and did various things together and sometimes it was necessary to give you… read more
I went to the Netherland's this summer to William's barge. I was supposed to stay for two weeks and I ended up a month!
William was on his holidays and didn't knew if he was going to travel with his family, and I had to work, but in my work they gave me holidays and his family canceled the trip, so… read more
Thank you for your very positive review, the highfleet was indeed a special experience ! Hanna was from the first day up to the last day happy with all what happened and always a useful assistant. She is kind, polite, curious, intelligent and learn quick things. She did the housekeeping, shopping, cooking and if you ask it gently she… read more
Thanks again so much for everything, the pain au chocolat, the amazing bike, the nice sound of water while sleeping and at least for my best time in Paris I ever had! I will never forget to feel famous with all the… read more
