On the southernmost island of South Holland, we offer the luxury motor Always Ready with a very spacious garden (800m2), located in the Spui towards Ooltgensplaat. The harbor of Ooltgensplaat has an open navigation connection with the Volkerak, Hollandsdiep, and Oosterschelde.

The luxury motor Always Ready was built in 1930 at shipyard De Hoop in Leiden. With its dimensions of 26 x 4.32 and a draft of 1.5 meters below the gangway, you have a spacious living area. The ship is ready to sail with a powerful ship engine and a bow thruster.

Are you looking for a spacious (sailing) houseboat with a permanent mooring in the south of the country? Then be sure to come and see the Always Ready in Ooltgensplaat.

Layout

Access to the Always Ready is via a sturdy gangway. From here, the wheelhouse is accessible. The wheelhouse has a lovely sofa with a clear view over the Spui: the approach channel to the harbor of Ooltgensplaat. From the wheelhouse, the aft cabin is accessible. The aft cabin is in original condition, with a spacious berth, living room, kitchenette, and space for a toilet.

From the main deck, there is a hatch to the living area, with a spacious entrance and large living room with open kitchen. The many skylights let in plenty of light, and the wood stove provides cozy warmth in the evening. Next to the kitchen is the spacious bathroom, and at the front is the master bedroom.

In the forepeak, the original paneling is still present with 2 berths and ample storage space. The mast engine is located below deck. In the engine room under the wheelhouse, all technical equipment is present.

Surroundings

The village of Ooltgensplaat is located on the island of Goeree Overflakkee, with good access to the cities of Willemstad, Middelharnis, Oud Beijerland, and Rotterdam. Ooltgensplaat is a church circle village with a harbor on one side featuring the old Town Hall from 1616 and on the other side the church from 1847.

From the garden, the adjacent nature reserve Hellegatsplaten is accessible with walking paths and observation towers for various birds and large grazers (Heck cattle and Fjord horses). Across the Spui/mooring, the Fort Prins Frederik is accessible via the ferry.

With the ship/the dinghy, the waters of South Holland and Zeeland can be perfectly explored. This is a broad network with access to various harbor cities.

 

History of the ship

The luxury motor/the cargo ship Always Ready was built in 1930 at shipyard De Hoop in Leiden. The first measurement is from July 30, 1930, in Leiden with dimensions of 26.08 x 4.29 meters and the description motorboat 35 hp with a displacement of 73.5 tons. 

The second measurement is from June 17, 1942, in Rotterdam with similar dimensions and a load capacity of 80.3 tons. It was probably converted into a dredging ship with an elevated deck and calf decks. Until the 1990s, the ship was active as a dredging ship.

Since 2008, the current owners have owned the Always Ready and have extensively renovated it into a home.

Technology

The current owners have converted the ship from a cargo/dredging ship to a comfortable houseboat. The heating is provided by a Roca Diesel central heating system and a wood stove in the living room.

The electrical system is equipped with a Victron multiplus of 24/3000/70, and the batteries have recently been replaced with lithium versions.

The hull from 1930 was last inspected in 2020, and the CBB is valid until August 2029.

The ship has made several voyages and is ready to sail with a Scania main engine of over 100 hp and a powerful bow thruster of 20 hp.

Mooring

The mooring is agreed upon for an indefinite period with the Foundation Historical Ships Ooltgensplaat. This foundation manages a portion of land and water along the Steigerdijk.

The garden belonging to the ship Always Ready is approximately 800 m2, with a large shed and 2 parking spaces. Currently, the shed contains a mancave, workshop, and a covered terrace with an outdoor kitchen.

The rent for the entire property is approximately € 2,600, and € 400 for maintenance reservations. At the start, a one-time payment of € 4,500 must be made as an interest-free loan to the foundation. Upon termination of the rental agreement, this will be refunded to the tenant.

Some important features

• Year of construction 1930 at shipyard De Hoop in Leiden
• Dimensions of 26 x 4.32 meters
• Draft approximately 1 meter
• Living area of approximately 45 m2
• Spacious bathroom with shower, toilet, and sink unit
• Kitchen equipped with induction cooktop, extractor hood, refrigerator, and dishwasher possibility 
• Main engine of Scania D8 of over 100 hp and new 24-volt dynamo
• Bow thruster of Duco 24 volt 20 hp from 2015
• Diesel tank of 120 liters day tank and 750 liters main tank
• Generator of 12 kva present, but currently not operational
• Roca diesel central heating
• Victron multiplus 24-3000-70
• 2x lithium batteries of 300Ah (Oct 2025)
• Marine radios from Sailor 2048 and handheld
• AIS from Comnav
• 1,500-liter water tank
• Flojet water pump
• Last hull thickness report from July 2020
• CBB valid until August 2029
• Mooring fee approximately € 3,000 per year

 

No transfer tax is due on the houseboat. Your notary can provide you with further information on this.

Since this houseboat is registered in the land registry and has a permanent mooring, a mortgage is one of the possibilities. At this moment, you could, for example, go to Rabobank for this. Your mortgage advisor can inform you about the options.

Our descriptions have been compiled with the utmost care, but no rights can be derived from them. You are free to check the dimensions and details during a viewing.

More and more municipalities are imposing a self-occupancy requirement for future owners. Please contact the municipality to see if this also applies to you as a future owner.

Please contact Wessel van Ackooy at +31(0)6 51 77 92 29