Housing crises leads to more live aboards

Yes, exactly. That's what makes it kind of impractical for some people. By the way, I lived on a boat in the Netherlands, for a few months over several occasions, during the 1980's. Some of the canal houses were still emptying sewage into the canals!

I didn't have to work, so it was easy. But for those that did, catching a train to their destination was no problem. And yes, there were liveaboards who didn't even own cars--ever in their lives! Those little three-wheeled motorscooters with flatbeds are popular though.

Last summer, I lived several weeks on a charter boat. It was docked right across from A'dam, on the river Ij. The ferry departed every 15-minutes or so, 24/7. Great mobility. Well, one day, we awoke to see signs mounted on lightpoles in front of our boat--they were kicking us out of the public dock area! The nerve of those public officials; it wasn't even legal for them to do it. Apparently, some nearby residents complained, but from my detective work I found out that they only wanted some peace and quiet; not for us to leave (the boats were very nice to look at, you know). But public officials overreacted. It was end of season, so we simply moved a few kilometers to Haarlem. Problem solved for the winter.

Back to the original premise... Building a boat is something that's done when you have a modicum of stability in life. In contrast, I'm sure that getting foreclosed is a very stressful and instable time. At best, I would buy a cheap houseboat or whatever suits the area, before building from scratch. It'd probably be both, more convenient and cheaper, that way. Once settled, I'd plan for something more extravagant...along with scoping out a place to build it. It probably wouldn't be a plywood and caulk micro-cruiser. After all, I'd be saving all sorts of money living in the houseboat, right?

The problem I've seen in several areas is that many marinas have been bought by corporations who cater to mega-yacht clientèle. Suddenly, the quaint little 'oasis for all' has a gate, swimming pool and 9-hole golf course. No stinky liveaboards allowed, unless it involves a really large yacht into which the owner can disappear out of sight--with no laundry hanging over the transom railing. It makes one wonder about the kind of economic system which causes such a trend.

Ok, I'll step off my geolibertarian soapbox and offer a suggestion to this thread's initiator. Here's the ideal design if you've been foreclosed. Pick either one. You'll fit right in with the 'in crowd.'

 

sunny weather sure helps but rather than mondaine sant tropez i say juan les pins or monaco as pictured here and best viewed with red and green glasses