[SeaGypsy]

I read this book about 15 years ago:

http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=0gN ... &q&f=false

Following some of the designs in it I built 3 different houseboats, which I lived on for a total of about 5 years.
I think houseboats are mega cool!
Althemore so if you can build them yourself using mostly recycled materials, as this book shows how to do.

Houseboats are a wonderfull platform for living.
They can incorporate recycling, mini solar, wind and hydro power.
My 1st 2 houseboats had no motor, but were located in tidal estuaries where one could utilize the tides to move up and down the river.
The last one I built had a 5hp motor. The floats were old plastic barrels and the 'house was an old army mess tent made of plywood. The 'tent' was collapsible and the floats were seaworthy, unsinkable; allowing movement between estuaries on calm days.

The best views in the world, change neighbours any time you like and zero real estate costs or taxes.
I love houseboats.

PS. Sorry I can't show pics of mine, an ex g/f burned my last one down with a candle near a curtain and I lost everything including pics. Unfortunately also the whole book is not available free. It goes into a lot of detail on the use of recycled materials and barrels as floatation. It's not rocket science.

[SeaGypsy]

As my life has taken a major shift over the last 2 years, I am revising my need to build an ocean going yacht. I will be stuck working here:

http://www.maplandia.com/australia/nort ... ort-keats/

For the next few years. Port Keats (Wadeye in Murin Patha, the local language) is crocodile infested, plus quite mad socially at times, being a remote aboriginal community. I am now planning to build houseboat 4; which will incorporate a crocodile and shark proof retractable swimming enclosure that will double as a fish trap at night.

[SFDukie]

Love the idea for a swimming/enclosure fish trap. houseboats are very cool...

[SeaGypsy]

In the wet season the north of Australia also has Box and Irikanji jelly fish, both of which can ne deadly; so to be safe from these and the crocs a swimming enclosure is a must.
We have thousands of miles of reef protected shore and tidal rivers with up to 8 meter tides, which can push up to 100miles inland.
The buzz of riding a tide miles upstream then tying up during the outflow before again riding the tide up, well it's pretty awesome. A punt pole is often the only extra 'power' required.
In very populated areas on the south eastern seaboard of Australia "Coastal Managment Plans" have been put in place to prevent 'live aboard' free range boating. I hear the same is true in parts of Europe and the USA.
TPTB can see the threat from this living mode; imagine millions of people start opting out of the real estate game in preference for a floating home; the shock! The horror!
I was the last live aboard to get booted from the Maroochy River in Queensland after the CMP was brought in there. The rangers threatened me with fines for months, I kept telling them that they would have to take me to court. Eventually the local government decided to fund a case against me; game over.
One way around this kind of legalism is to build a houseboat which appears to be an expensive yacht; see Phil Bolger designs.
I learned the hard way that if in a populated estuary the best option is to have a very shallow draught and stay in the backwaters and mangroves. This necessitates a very effective insect screening set up.

[Newfie]

We seriously looked at this catamaran before buying the boat we did. Back then the Wife was into the idea of living aboard but we wanted something that would stand up to ice better.

http://www.catamarans.com/panoramic_tou ... index.aspx

I honestly don't know if she has sold or not. The price was about right and she had the pedigree to sail very, very well. And she had lots of room.

I know you like to self build, I still think that sometimes (often?) you can buy cheaper than building.

[SeaGypsy]

Yeah for sure, if what you like has been built, you can buy cheaper than build.
The only reason I am more into building is that there are very few shallow draft boats built in Oz; and I really want a very shallow draft vessel.
Really there are heaps of options available for living afloat for a fraction of the cost of RE. As you have found Newfie, it is possible to spend a lot of energy just looking also.
Buy or build is one question, either way you need to know what your requirements are and how to look for problems like dry rot etc.
The thing about houseboats as compared to yachts is that is is truly possible to build a nice houseboat out of junk.

[Newfie]

A guy in the yard where I bought our boat has a 3/4 scale Presto Sharpie. They were designed in Miami, Florida based on New England boats and adapted to be better off shore.

Shallow, very shallow with twin dagger boards, almost like a bilge keeler. Unstayed cat/ketch rig. Really neat for gunkholling.

Full scare boats are 44' with full standing headroom. This fellow's boat, 32', does not allow full headroom.

Thought of you when I saw it.