⛵ On the water
🍷 Fall Meeting — Monday, Oct 26 · 6:00 pm
At Chet & Lynette's · 2617 Northshore Rd, Bellingham
Elie is putting together a slideshow — send him your favorite photos from this year's cruises.
🧭 Who handles what
Not sure who to ask? Start here.
📣 Latest news
2027 cruising schedule is out. It's on the Schedule page. Elie says it's a starting point — expect some shuffling between partners. Want different weeks? Use "Request a change" on your row.
Winter 2026/27 maintenance plan has been sent to Aquarelle. Jeff also worked with the helm pump maker (BCS) on why the power-steering fluid ran low and is ordering a new fill cap with a gasket to seal the unit. Jeff keeps the running maintenance log — ask him for a copy.
Earlier: Apr 6, 2026 maintenance update
Recently completed and added to the maintenance log:
- Pilothouse canvas — finished.
- Engine / generator — fuel and oil filters replaced.
- Engine room lights — all-new LED fixtures.
- Blackwater tank gauge — working again.
- Fuel tank gauges — both repaired.
- Engine & generator runs — Aquarelle exercises them about monthly.
- Dewinterization — freshwater system dewinterized.
Also explored Evans Marine International in Migennes (~5 km from Auxerre) for painting and pilothouse windows.
⚓ About the Laura-Jo
A 2008 Sirius Yachts Luxemotor Dutch barge, owned by eight Bellingham-area couples through Laura-Jo Barge Ltd (England & Wales). She cruises the rivers and canals of France each spring through fall and is currently based at Aquarelle in Auxerre. Each couple takes a three-week cruise per season and shares the costs equally.
🗓️ 2027 Cruising Schedule
Eight cruises · April 21 – October 10 · Changeovers on Sundays
📄 Elie's original schedule (Oct 20, 2026) · Cruise 1 has since moved to Apr 21 – May 12 at Elie's request.
📜 Past seasons (2024 – 2026)
2026 — season complete
As scheduled. Aquarelle repainted the boat Jul 28 – Aug 29 (boat out of service).
| Prep | Work party — Lee & Barry |
| 1 · Apr 25 – May 16 | Lee & Nina |
| 2 · May 16 – Jun 6 | Jeff & Sherri (tentative) |
| 3 · Jun 6 – Jun 27 | Kelly & Koelle (tentative) |
| 4 · Jun 27 – Jul 18 | Elie & Lisa |
| 5 · Jul 18 – Aug 8 | Troy & Heather |
| Jul 28 – Aug 29 | Maintenance — Aquarelle repaint & pilothouse windows |
| 7 · Aug 29 – Sep 19 | Chet & Lynette |
| 8 · Sep 19 – Oct 10 | Jeff & Sherri |
2025
| 1 · Apr 25 – May 16 | Barry & Brenda |
| 2 · May 16 – Jun 6 | Kelly & Koelle |
| 3 · Jun 6 – Jun 27 | Fred & Anne |
| 4 · Jun 27 – Jul 18 | Art & Cyndy |
| 5 · Jul 18 – Aug 8 | Elie & Lisa |
| 6 · Aug 8 – Aug 29 | Randy & Carla |
| 7 · Aug 29 – Sep 19 | Jeff & Sherri |
| 8 · Sep 19 – Oct 10 | Chet & Lynette |
2024
| 1 · Apr 25 – May 16 | Kelly & Koelle |
| 2 · May 16 – Jun 6 | Fred & Anne |
| 3 · Jun 6 – Jun 27 | Art & Cyndy |
| 4 · Jun 27 – Jul 18 | Elie & Lisa |
| 5 · Jul 18 – Aug 8 | Randy & Carla |
| 6 · Aug 8 – Aug 29 | Jeff & Sherri |
| 7 · Aug 29 – Sep 19 | Chet & Lynette |
| 8 · Sep 19 – Oct 10 | Barry & Brenda |
On board
⚡ Systems Quick-Start
- Shore power / batteries: see the Electric Panel video; switch sequence on the main panel.
- Water: keep tanks topped at the port; monitor the gauge.
- Heating / hot water: see the Heater video.
- Engine start & checks: see the Engine Room video — oil, coolant, belts, sea-cocks before start.
- Galley: see the Kitchen & Espresso videos.
- Bow thruster & helm: brief any new skipper before departure.
- Propeller-shaft seal (stern gland): keep its grease reservoir full. The tub of grease is above the Victron in the engine room; take off the reservoir cap and refill it with that grease. Elie refilled it in July 2026. Jeff can send the how-to video.
- Steering (hydraulic helm pump, BCS): if the wheel feels stiff or the fluid looks low, call Jeff at 360-815-4196. BCS, the maker, says our current fluid (INGOL MATIC Zn-S 46) is fine to keep while the system works well. Spare parts: fill cap IT14959, seal IT13578, from BCS's US dealer (electronauticausa@gmail.com).
🚦 Locks (Écluses) & Navigation
- Locks generally operate 09:00–18:30 with a midday closure; reduced hours off-season.
- Carry the boat's VNF license and check for closures (chômage) before each leg.
- Crew on lines fore & aft; fenders out; skipper holds the boat steady — slow is pro.
- At least one partner must be aboard at all times (per the Operating Agreement).
🆘 Emergency & Key Contacts
| EU emergency | 112 |
| Aquarelle (marina & yard) | +33 3 86 46 96 77 |
| Maintenance — Jeff VanderYacht | 360-815-4196 |
| Schedule — Elie Samuel | 360-201-1964 |
| Insurer — Haven Knox-Johnston | Policy aboard |
| VNF (waterways) | Local lock / VNF office |
✅ End-of-Cruise Handover Checklist
- Return the boat to its mooring (unless agreed otherwise).
- Fuel, gas & water tanks left at least half full.
- All linen & towels laundered; beds tidy.
- Boat & equipment cleaned and washed down, ready for the next crew.
- Fridge cleared, bins emptied, perishables removed.
- Logbook completed; all expenses entered with receipts.
- Replace anything broken or used up (reimbursable).
- Windows/doors secured; power & water set for the boat to sit safely.
Boat manual
📘 Help Build the Laura-Jo Manual
We're putting together a proper owners' manual for the boat. Send in anything you'd want in it: how you start the generator, which switch does what, where the spare filters live, a photo of a label or a panel, a checklist that worked for you. We'll compile everything into one manual — a PDF you can keep on your phone, plus a printed copy that stays on board.
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How-to videos
🎬 How-To Videos
Walkthroughs of the boat's systems, filmed aboard. Stored on the shared Google Drive.
Marina
⚓ Home Marina — Aquarelle, Auxerre
Where Laura-Jo is based — Port de Plaisance d'Auxerre (Linssen Yachts dealer). Aquarelle also handles winter maintenance and yard work.
| Address | Port de Plaisance, Quai de l'Ancienne Abbaye, 89000 Auxerre, France |
| Phone | +33 3 86 46 96 77 |
| Website | aquarelle-france.fr |
| Contacts | Mike Gardner-Roberts mike@aquarelle-france.fr · Zoë contact23@wanadoo.fr |
Map & trip ideas
🗺️ Interactive Waterways Map
The actual canals & rivers, with each trip drawn along its real route. Pick a trip to see its distance, locks and rough cruising time; every lock on that trip appears as a dot you can tap.
💬 Owner Tips
Places partners loved: moorings, restaurants, markets, swimming spots, tricky locks. Tap 💬 on the map or a tip below. Add your own with Add an owner tip above the list.
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🧭 Trip Ideas — Three-Week Cruises
Each sized to roughly one rotation at a relaxed pace (~3–5 hrs cruising/day).
🌿 Canal du Nivernais — Auxerre → Clamecy → Decize
Route: South from Auxerre along the Yonne and the Canal du Nivernais via Mailly-la-Ville, Châtel-Censoir and Clamecy, up the Sardy lock staircase to the summit, then down to Decize on the Loire.
Don't miss: Vézelay (UNESCO basilica), the Rochers du Saussois cliffs, and a Chablis wine trip by car from Auxerre.
⛰️ Canal de Bourgogne — Auxerre → Dijon → St-Jean-de-Losne
Route: North from Auxerre down the Yonne to Migennes, then the full Canal de Bourgogne via Tonnerre and Montbard, through the summit tunnel at Pouilly-en-Auxois, and down past Dijon to the Saône at St-Jean-de-Losne.
Don't miss: Tanlay & Ancy-le-Franc châteaux, Abbaye de Fontenay (UNESCO), Semur-en-Auxois, Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, and Dijon's old town & Les Halles market.
🍷 Wine Run — St-Jean-de-Losne → Chalon → Côte Chalonnaise
Route: Down the Saône from St-Jean-de-Losne to Chalon-sur-Saône, then west on the Canal du Centre into the Côte Chalonnaise vineyards at Chagny and Santenay.
Don't miss: Beaune (Hospices, wine cellars) — a short drive or bike ride from Chagny — plus Meursault and Pommard nearby.
Shorter trips — out & back to Auxerre
The boat comes home, so there's no hand-over to plan. Good for a relaxed cruise, a first trip, or part of a three-week stay.
🏰 Clamecy & Vézelay — up the Nivernais and back
Route: South from Auxerre on the Yonne and Canal du Nivernais through Vincelles, Mailly-la-Ville and Châtel-Censoir to Clamecy, then back the same way.
Don't miss: the Rochers du Saussois cliffs, a taxi up to Vézelay's hilltop basilica, and Clamecy's old town.
Owner tip: Kelly & Koelle brought the boat back from Clamecy to Auxerre and called it "a simple trip with easy locks." They also found a fun swimming hole on the river.
🥂 Tonnerre & Chablis — into the Canal de Bourgogne and back
Route: North on the Yonne to Migennes, then east on the Canal de Bourgogne via Saint-Florentin to Tonnerre, then back.
Don't miss: Tonnerre's Fosse Dionne spring, a Chablis tasting day by taxi or bike, and the Château de Tanlay just past Tonnerre.
🏘️ Joigny — down the Yonne and back
Route: Downstream on the Yonne past Migennes to Joigny, then back up to Auxerre. Big river locks and an easy pace.
Don't miss: Joigny's half-timbered old town and riverside, and a long lunch before the run home.
Extended trips — bucket-list runs
One-way and longer than a single cruise, so they'd be a relay between two or more crews, with the boat wintering somewhere new. Big commercial rivers: talk to Elie and the maintenance committee first, and check our insurance cruising area, radio (VHF) rules and skipper experience before planning one.
🗼 To Paris — down the Yonne and the Seine
Route: North from Auxerre down the Yonne past Joigny and Sens to Montereau, then the Seine past Fontainebleau and Melun into the heart of Paris, mooring at the Port de l'Arsenal by the Bastille.
Good to know: The Yonne's 26 locks are small and easy; the 9 Seine locks are big commercial locks shared with working barges. Paris moorings must be booked ahead.
☀️ To the South — Burgundy, the Saône and the Rhône to Provence
Route: The Canal de Bourgogne to St-Jean-de-Losne, down the Saône past Chalon and Mâcon to Lyon, then the Rhône past Valence and Avignon to Arles. From there the Canal du Rhône à Sète leads on to Aigues-Mortes and the Mediterranean.
Good to know: Almost all the locks are on the Canal de Bourgogne. The Rhône's 12 locks are huge and the current is strong, so this leg needs an experienced skipper.
Distances and lock counts come from OpenStreetMap waterway data (the extended trips use published lock counts for the big rivers). Cruising time is a rough guide: about 7 km/h underway plus ~15 minutes per lock, at ~5 hours of cruising a day. Check VNF notices for closures before you go.
Local area
✈️ Crew Changes & Getting There
| Changeovers | Sundays (three-week cruises, Sunday to Sunday) |
| Auxerre rail | Auxerre–St-Gervais → Laroche-Migennes → Paris-Bercy |
| Nearest TGV | Dijon (≈1h35 to Paris, ≈1h40 to Lyon) |
| Airports | Paris CDG, Lyon-St-Exupéry (LYS), Geneva (GVA) |
| Transfers | Book taxis ahead in small towns; arrange handover & key exchange with the prior crew. |
🧺 Provisioning & Essentials
Typical options by area — market days & hours change, so verify locally.
| Town | Market day | Groceries / essentials |
|---|---|---|
| Auxerre | Tue · Fri · Sun (mornings) | Carrefour / Intermarché / Lidl, pharmacies, laundromat |
| Dijon | Les Halles: Tue · Thu · Fri · Sat | Full supermarkets, pharmacies, everything |
| Beaune | Sat (large) · Wed (smaller) | Supermarkets, wine shops, pharmacies |
| St-Jean-de-Losne | Small town — limited | Small shops, bakery, fuel & water at the port |
Most villages have a boulangerie and a small épicerie. Keep a market bag & some cash aboard.
🔧 Marine Services & Repairs
| Aquarelle — Auxerre | Our base: moorage, winter maintenance, yard work · +33 3 86 46 96 77 |
| Evans Marine International — Migennes | Yard ~5 km from Auxerre; looked at for painting & pilothouse windows |
| H2O — St-Jean-de-Losne | Large barge base: chandlery, fuel, repairs · h2ofrance.com |
| Diesel & pump-out | At the major ports along the route |
Skipper & links
🛟 Skipper Requirements
Per the Operating Agreement, a partner may only navigate if they hold:
- International Certificate of Competence (ICC), endorsed for Inland Waters
- A pass in the CEVNI exam (European inland waterway rules)
- A VHF radio certificate where required by the flag state
📚 Study Notes — ICC, CEVNI & VHF
IYT course notes to prepare for the skipper requirements above. For partners only; please don't share them outside the group. Tap to download (owners' password may be asked once).
🌐 Useful Links
| VNF — Voies navigables de France | Licenses & lock closures (chômage) | vnf.fr |
| French Waterways | Routes, ports & cruising guides | french-waterways.com |
| Météo-France | Weather forecasts | meteofrance.com |
Photos
📸 Gallery
Tap any photo to enlarge.
🧭 Who handles what
👥 The Partners
Eight partner couples. Each couple owns one share (one "chair") = 12.5%, and each spouse is listed with their own email & phone. Tap to contact.
Share register per the LJB Register of Members. Lee Bogard & Nina Kuhlman acquired the former Wicknick shares (12.5%) in Sept 2025. Troy & Heather Muljat bought out Art & Cyndy Berry's share (12.5%) in Nov 2025.
📜 Ownership Terms (summary)
- Recreational use only — the vessel may not be chartered or hired for revenue.
- Major actions need Shareholder Consent (holders of ≥65% of shares).
- One year's notice and pre-emption rights apply before any share transfer; other partners get first right to buy, then the company, then an approved third party.
- Each partner has the right to be a director of the company.
- Governed by the law of England & Wales; disputes go to mediation, then arbitration.
💰 How Costs Are Shared
- Company pays the shared running costs: moorage, insurance, general maintenance, UK secretarial/accountancy, and the canal license.
- Each partner makes an annual contribution (equal — 12.5% each), set at the annual meeting; cash calls cover shortfalls.
- During your own cruise, you pay your own diesel, electricity, pump-out, cleaning, and any transient berthing.
- Repairs/maintenance up to $1,000 per item can be approved by the managing partner; anything over $1,000 needs majority approval.
- Insurance claims are not submitted for under $5,000; negligence damage is the responsible partner's cost.
🧾 Typical Annual Fixed Costs
| Item | Approx. |
|---|---|
| Marine insurance (Haven Knox-Johnston) | $2,500 |
| Moorage / annual dock | $2,983 |
| UK secretarial & accountancy (Companies House) | $1,850 |
| Canal license (VNF) | $725 |
📌 Financial Notes
| Aug 2026 — FY2026 (Jul 2025 – Jun 2026) draft accounts prepared by Simon Alexander (Alexander & Co); no queries raised. |
| Aug 2026 — Simon Alexander confirmed both share transfers are recorded at Companies House (Art Berry → Troy Muljat; Fred Wicknick → Lee Bogard), shown on the 2026 confirmation statement. |
| Nov 17, 2025 — Troy & Heather Muljat bought out Art & Cyndy Berry's share (12.5%) for $50,000. |
| Sep 2025 — Lee Bogard purchased the former Wicknick shares (12.5%) for $50,000. |
| 2025 — Member loans to the company reimbursed ($6,500 each). |
🏛️ The Company & Vessel
| Entity | Laura-Jo Barge Ltd |
| Registered | England & Wales (private ltd by shares) |
| Company no. | 14939319 · Companies House filings |
| Reg. Office | Russell House, Oxford Road, Bournemouth BH8 8EX |
| Share Capital | $360,000 — 120 shares @ $3,000 |
| Ownership | 8 partners × 15 shares = 12.5% each |
| Decisions | 65% shareholder consent for major items |
| Type | Dutch barge — Sirius Yachts Luxemotor |
| Year Built | 2008 |
| Registration | UK Part I Register · SSR 134257 |
| Flag | United Kingdom (French courtesy flag) |
| Based at | Aquarelle, Auxerre (home mooring per agreement: St-Jean-de-Losne) |
| Insurer | Haven Knox-Johnston (marine) |
🗂️ Documents
Company and vessel records. Tap to download; you may be asked for the owners' password once.