From a 100-year-old canal barge to a sailing yacht, now with a baby on board.

We're Chris, Priscilla and baby Jack. We spent years living on and renovating a canal barge in the UK and Europe. Now we're rebuilding our yacht Duo Vagari, a 1990 Bavaria 39, and sailing Australia.

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Two boats, a lot of DIY, and one tiny new crew member

Duo Vagari: to roam or travel without knowing the destination.

It started over sushi in our favourite little family-run restaurant back home, where we hatched a plan to travel together. A trip to Italy got us hooked, a move to the UK followed, and then a bold idea: renovating a wide beam barge into our floating home, to live more freely, travel slowly and bring a little bit of home wherever we go. Canals first, continents next.

2020 onwards

The barge years

Years living aboard and renovating a 100-year-old canal barge in the UK and Europe, documented start to finish, including Couple Turns a 100-Year-Old Canal Boat Into a Tiny Off-Grid Paradise.

Travels

On the road

Adventures beyond the canals, including Australia, where the next chapter began.

Now

S/Y Duo Vagari

A 1990 Bavaria 39 sailing yacht bought in Australia, now under a major DIY renovation, with night sails, whales and baby Jack aboard.

Fresh from the channel

Night sails, foggy dawns, islands to ourselves, and plenty of refit.

See all our videos

Meet the crew

Small boat, four of us

Chris

Up for any challenge with a can-do attitude. Originally from South Africa, he's an engineer by trade who grew up working on motorcycles with his dad, so he'll have a go at fixing almost anything. His personal quest: long summer days, a cold beer and a braai.

Priscilla

Co-host, and a very independent, strong-willed and capable South African with green fingers and a big heart. She loves animals, nature and all things food, and can make a beautifully presented meal from very little.

Jack

The youngest crew member. Already a veteran of his first night sail (whale included), and the reason the boat now has safety netting.

Barley

Barley the Sausage, our dachshund. Keeps watch as always and never says no to a swim. He's holding the fort with Chris's mum in the UK while his paperwork comes through, and joins us in Australia early next year.

The refit

Bringing Duo Vagari back to life

A 1990 Bavaria 39, a marina berth and a big DIY to-do list.

What we're working on

We bought our Bavaria 39 in Australia, renamed her Duo Vagari, and are renovating her ourselves. Recent episodes cover ripping out the old headliner and moving the instruments to the helm.

Every job filmed, mistakes included
Real DIY, done in the marina
Watch along as she comes together

Watch the latest refit episode

Refit tracker

Our voyage

Sydney to the Gold Coast

Our first passage on Duo Vagari, sailing north up the east coast of Australia with a baby on board. Route is indicative, not a GPS track.

We are here: Gold Coast, refitting the boat at the marina

💬 Ask us anything / suggest a video

Coming soon

The Duo Vagari story, as a book

A Life Less Ordinary
One Family's Journey from Starting Again to Building a Life on Their Own Terms.
The story behind the channel, from the barge to the boat.