Introduction
The Hoop op Welvaart originally is an inland cargo barge. It is a so-called "luxe motor" (luxurious motor ship), the first type inland cargo barge in the Netherlands that was built as a motor barge. Before, inland barges were built either as sail barges or towed barges.
The first luxe motors still had sails, since engines were not yet very reliable. The rig was also used to load and unload the ship.
Luxe motors varied in deadweight capacity between 50 and 400 ton. The ones for regular line services (beurtvaart) were mostly between 50 and 100 tons, the ones for general cargo above that. The heydays were between 1920 and 1940, however a few very nice large ones have been built after 1945.
