Retirement Houseboat or Floating Home

Proper Cottage/Cabin on the Water

Boston, both that modern design you just posted, and the one I posted from FL are both rather unappealing.

Here is what I have in mind,...but in a Thai style

A houseboat sounds like a liberating place to live – but limiting as well for those who like to relax on the front porch, sun on the back deck or tend to growing plants in a garden. This floating homestead blows traditional boat-based homes out of the water, so to speak. How much to buy it? Well, the current owners purchased it a decade ago for around twenty-five thousands dollars USD. Unreal, no?





http://tinyhouseblog.com/floating-homes/our-little-cabin-up-the-lake/

http://powellriverbooks.blogspot.com/

 

Float Cabin for Retirement Living

"A houseboat sounds like a liberating place to live – but limiting as well for those who like to relax on the front porch, sun on the back deck or tend to growing plants in a garden."

I see you found my float cabin. Yes, it is a liberating place to live. We purchased in 2001 and now it's our retirement home for about 75% of the year. Unlike most floating homes, it's in a remote area with boat only access. It was designed and built (almost single handed) by our good friend John from the cedar log float up.

John is just finishing his fifth cabin and we've had a change to watch and help. It is an amazing process. If anyone has questions, please stop by my blog or send me an e-mail via the link in this forum. I also have some video tours on YouTube.

Margy
Powell River BC

http://PowellRiverBooks.blogspot.com
www.youtube.com/user/drmargy

 

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for stopping in. I'll definitely have to go check out your site, but I'm curious why no plants, if I were to build one I'd want a lawn somewhere. That and some small trees, and a slip centrally located so my launch could also be used to move the home.

Lots of deck space and a screened in porch for bug season.

 

what are the rules about mooring in the river? Say anywhere along the Mississippi + tributaries

 

Thanks for the welcome Boston. I have a floating garden with four raised beds for veggies in the summer. Also use pots on the deck for flowers and more veggies. Where we are located, we can't move around. Before 2000, there were no rules or fees. Now we have a lease from the BC government for 20 years to our water lot that is outlined by our breakwater logs. We pay $500 for the lease each year and an additional $500 in property tax for the cabin itself to the Regional District (our version of a county). I am not sure what rules in the US are.

Margy
http://PowellRiverBooks.blogspot.com
www.PowellRiverBooks.com

 

is it the topography thats preventing you from moving or the rules. I'd think you could sail your home wherever the conditions permitted. Or isn't it considered a boat ?

 

Prior to 2000 you could tow your cabin to any location on the lake and then anchor it to the shore. After the lease arrangement began, you cannot change locations without going through a governmental approval process. The cabin has no means of locomotion. It is built on a 40X40' cedar log float. A picture is in Brian's post above. But using a small runabout boat, you can push and tow it fairly easy. Here is a link about a friend's float cabin moving day. http://powellriverbooks.blogspot.com/2008/08/float-cabin-moving-day.html

Margy
http://PowellRiverBooks.blogspot.com
www.PowellRiverBooks.com

 

Hmmmm, would be interesting to know what the rules are in Alaska or on the Mississippi

 

Welcome

Welcome Margy, I'm glad you could join the conversations. look forward to hearing even more about how you cope with 'remote energy' and waste situations as these are two primary questions that come up with boats as well.

It does appear as though there is an ever-increasing bit of regulations one must adhere to, and this is not always a bad thing, particularly where the surrounding environment is concerned. On the other hand there appears to be a very 'jealous component'....the water adjacent land owners who often feel it is there right to own all the water adjacent land and eliminate any access by the public. There are now many situations in the USA (and elsewhere I suspect) that don't allow ANY living on the water at all....in the name of whatever...

 

Hi Brian - Glad I found the post. I have a lot of information on my blog about off-the-grid power and waste management. We are similar to a boat in those respects even though we are more cabin like in construction and lack of mobility. I haven't mastered picture posting, or maybe I can't do that yet as a new member.

Margy
http://PowellRiverBooks.blogspot.com
www.PowellRiverBooks.com

 

Picture posting here isn't too hard. Just go down to the 'manage attachments' and a window will pop up for you to import your photo, preferable from somewhere on your computer. If its a remotely located one just download it to your desktop temporarily till you load it onto your posting....jpg image is the most common, but there are lots of other formats accepted. No need to keep that photo on your computer after that if you don't want to. Also there is a free gallery of your own you can set up real easy. I usually try to limit photo size to 800 or 1024pixels wide.

BTW did you get my comment I added to your blog?

 

You can also do a search on the forms for topics of interest (enviromental etc) for subject threads that mention that word/ or words. And then if its a long thread you can perform a search within that subject thread.

If you see a subject that you think you might wish to follow the conversation, but you are not yet ready to make a posting, just look under 'thread tools' and you can subscribe to any new postings added to that subject thread.

 

go to the bottom of the window you type in and see the two oblong option boxes. One says post quick reply and the other says go advanced. Hit go advanced.

you should now be in another screen, this one has a bigger rectangular box for you to type in and a bunch of pictograph options just above it. The one on the far right says you tube, next one is a # sign, after that there's a small yellow box with some squiggly lines in it, the next one is the one you want. Click on it. Its the fourth one from the right.

a pop up should appear with a spot for you to paste a URL. I typically host on photobucket. Not sure what picture hosting site you prefer but for me its photobucket. Copy the URL of your image

looks like this
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c...59031446_1481584829_32092046_1020546855_n.jpg

Then paste it into the window of that pop up and hit OK

should end up looking like a picture. ;-)

 

Thanks Brian and Boston. Lots of good hints. - Margy

 

Just when I'd given up all hope for you Boston, you make me laugh, OUT LOUD!

-Tom