Houseboat news around the world
Supply and demand on the water
Coming next spring: the Ice Cream Boat in Pittsburg When you think about a houseboat, naturally you think about either living on one or renting one for vacation. Have you ever considered the potential to turn it into a thriving business? Kevin and Laurie Heenan inspired us with their Sugar and Spice Ice Cream Boat to start this series ‘Houseboat Stories’. By Bookahouseboat.com. There are many ways to make a houseboat more than a residence. Capable of moving from location to location, it has the potential to be a roving money-maker. If you are creative enough, it makes good business sense. And that’s exactly what Kevin and Laurie did: think of a creative way to expand their ice cream business by transforming their houseboat in Pittsburg. Kevin and Laurie, the 'Masters of Ice' in Pittsburg. After their success with the Sugar and Spice Parlour and Truck, it was time for a new challenge: the Ice Cream Houseboat. (photo: Sugar and Spice Ice Cream) Demand on the water, supply from the ho
Tips for houseboat keepers
How to keep your houseboat safe Living on a houseboat, or renting one for the holiday, is great fun. But always make sure you do it safely. The Vancouver houseboat fire last week reminded us of the importance of this rule! Staying on a houseboat is quite arguably the most free-living that you can do, but that does not mean that it is completely worry-free. There are many hazards that, if you don’t take steps to avoid, you can find yourself in some real sticky situations. Just like you need safety plans when taking up residence on the land, the same holds true for water dwellers. The following are things that should be addressed, so you don’t get carried away… literally. 1) Keep water out of the boat If you think about it, the only way that a boat can sink is by being inundated with water. And one other very important thing to know is that in most cases the water does not come from outside of the boat, but from the inside. Imagine the damage that can be done by a simple water hose tha
Houseboat Museum Amsterdam
Houseboat Museum, the must-see for houseboat fanatics For all those houseboat fans out there, we got an absolute must-see in Amsterdam: the Houseboat Museum. It gives you a great insight in how it was to live on a houseboat in the old days. A houseboat is exactly as the name implies, a house on a boat. It is a long tradition in Amsterdam, thousands of residents have saddled up their boats and made them into an entire living on the canals and harbors of the city. The uniqueness of a houseboat is not just the location where it docks; it also involves the external and internal logistics and aesthetics of the homes. Living on water is an adventure on itself, but those who do it don’t settle for the everyday spec homes that most of us dwell in today. Over the centuries, many amazing homes on water feats have come into existence and are now on display for generations to take delight in. A houseboat from the past The houseboat museum is something that is worthy of your time to visit
From warship to dream houseboat (5 of 5)
WWII Concrete Barge Houseboat Renovation #5 of 5 Wrecking a houseboat (and your nerves) Read Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3 and Episode 4 After the complete makeover of the lower deck of our concrete barge, it was time to do the upper deck. The main question was: strip the existing walls and roof, or go all the way and tear the whole thing down? We chose the last option and decided to go ‘full monty’ and demolish the upper floor without damaging the completely renovated lower floor. In this blog I’ll share some of the most nerve-wracking days of my life. Looking back, the whole process of getting the renovation license was just a piece of cake. Ok, it took 9 months, 6 drafts, and about 286 emails with the Building and Housing Supervisory Service, but in the end, our design got the stamp ‘Approved’. Having your houseboat actually demolished was the hard part. No pain, no gain. I know, but this whole event really pushed the limits. On the morning of Demolishing Day, the conditi
From warship to dream houseboat (4 of 5)
WWII Concrete Barge Houseboat Renovation #4 of 5 The finishing touch on the lower floor Read Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3 or advance to Episode 5. Probably the most rewarding part of a renovation is the finishing touch: the building pit is transformed into a true house. Or - in our case - half a house since we have chosen to renovate the lower floor first. The floor heating is connected, the bathroom is finished in hamam style, and the bedrooms are just what we hoped they would be: a relaxing place with lots of light and lots of wood. Above: The bathroom got a rugged concrete look finishing, with wooden highlights. Above: The sinks are placed on an old workbench from a carpenter school. One of the key elements of our dream houseboat is the naval atmosphere, even though it’s not a classic steel ship but a concrete barge. For those who missed the previous episodes: we’re talking about a WWII concrete war vessel, built in 1943 and used to transport fuel and ammunition from Engl
From warship to dream houseboat (3 of 5)
WWII Concrete Barge Houseboat Renovation #3 of 5 Keeping an eye on the details Read Episode #1, Episode #2 and Episode #4 After torturous weeks of stripping down our WW2 concrete warship, we were wondering what the hell we had started. However, after removing over 15,000 kilos of rubble, endless cleaning, and covering up the toxic bitumen coating, things were looking brighter. It’s time to really start building our dream houseboat. Above: The concrete ceiling has to be supported with steel pillars after large parts of the concrete beams have been sawn away. We’re thrilled that the dark and low lower floor is transformed into a luminous space with enough height to walk without bumping our heads. But that does not mean we don’t appreciate the original details that are still visible. The challenge is to blend these elements into the design of our houseboat. Above: The bow of the ship still needs quite some attention. This will be a multifunctional study/guestroom. The beauty of ra
From warship to dream houseboat (2 of 5)
WWII Concrete Barge Houseboat Renovation #2 of 5: The dark side of the boat By Juul Steyn In April ’14 we finally got the keys to our new houseboat in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. At first sight, the interior of our concrete warship, built in England in 1943, doesn’t look too bad. Ok, the floor is a bit wobbly, the walls are made of inferior hardboard, and the musty smell is only caused by poor ventilation. These are all things that can be fixed without too many problems. Or at least so we think. Until we remove the façade… Read Episode: #1 Above: me, my father, and Thor's hammer demolishing the old interior, just found out about the bitumen coating of the walls. After ripping away the first piece of hardboard, we are immediately confronted with the truth: a thick layer of black, sticky, smelly tar-like stuff covers the complete concrete hull of the boat. Not a pleasant sight, and not a pleasant smell, too. The question of what this black stuff is becomes extremely important becau
From warship to dream houseboat (1 of 5)
WWII Concrete Barge Houseboat Renovation #1 of 5: Don't think too much... The most important thing when starting such a project is not to think too much about it. But make sure to think enough to make it the perfect houseboat, a home you never want to leave again. Now that we’re halfway through the complete make-over of your Amsterdam-based concrete barge, built during the Second World War in 1943, we decided to share our adventures with other houseboat fans all over the world. By Juul Steyn In this first episode we’ll have a brief look at the history and characteristics of the houseboat. The ship was most likely built in 1943, and after it did its job after D-Day, it was first reported in Amsterdam in 1953. No one knows how the barge found its way to the Dutch capital. You will probably agree that it’s not the most elegant piece of work in the world: 27 meters of concrete, almost 7 meters wide, and with a whopping weight of 200,000 kilograms, it’s not the prettiest girl in town. No
Houseboat owners organisation
Dutch Houseboat owners stand united The oldest recorded historic document states that in the year 1652, there were already people living on the water in Amsterdam. One can easily imagine that people have been living on boats for as long as humans and boats exist. As time moved on, things got more professional. In the Netherlands, there’s even a national organization for houseboat owners! There is no clear record from when boats were being used just as houses, instead of a means of transportation. What we do know is that living on the water is now considered as comfortable, unique, and often utterly stylish. When asked, a houseboat owner would happily admit that a houseboat owner is a one-of-a-kind type of person, different from the average Joe living in an apartment on shore. Above: the members of the LWO are supported in various ways, both with legal and practical advice to keep living on the water affordable and attractive. National Houseboat Organisation LWO In The Netherlands,
Solar power on houseboats
Power your houseboat without carbon footprint Driving houseboats powered by an electric engine is becoming more and more popular. At this time, most of them have to be recharged at a plug-in station; however, with innovative systems such as the PowerRouter and soon Tesla’s Home Battery, this is something (almost) of the past. The innovative battery of electric car brand Tesla will not be available until this summer, but the concept is crystal clear. The basic idea of these systems is that you load batteries during the day with solar panels, or when the rates are low such as at night, and you use the stored energy whenever you need it. The highly improved quality of these batteries has led to a decrease in size and still delivers more power than ever. Houseboats and solar power Not all houseboats will be suitable for solar energy. If your boat is moored in a spot with hardly any sun, the energy production will not be enough to justify the investment. However, for floating homes that
Once you choose a Dutch houseboat...
“We've got the houseboat fever in the Netherlands” When Robert and Amy decided to visit Amsterdam, they decided to stay on a houseboat because it seemed as a ‘typical Amsterdam thing’ to do. And they weren’t wrong! Houseboats are becoming popular rapidly as holiday accommodation for tourists. What supposed to be an ordinary ten day trip to Amsterdam, ended up becoming a true Dutch houseboat experience. “Even the ducks seemed to be welcoming us – never felt so much at home during a holiday”, Amy writes us after getting back from an unforgettable trip trough the Netherlands. Amsterdam was Robert and Amy’s second stop on their one-month Euro-trip. When they were in London, they booked a houseboat called 'the Arden' on the Da Costakade via our website, Bookahouseboat.com. Having never slept on a houseboat, they were both excited and anxious at the same time. Amy: “Robert had some cold feet, worrying that he might get seasick on a houseboat.” When they finally arrived, all their doubts
The Netherlands, home of the best houseboat rentals
"Talk about Holland, talk about houseboats" The Netherlands, a small country below sea level that would undoubtedly drown if the dikes breached, has a long history with water. From maritime technologies to water management, the Dutch have both experience and knowledge. Subsequently, it is no surprise that the Dutch adapted to living with water. This resulted, for obvious reasons, in many people actually living on the water. Houseboats Amsterdam Although most houseboats are inherently connected with the houseboat capital of the world: Amsterdam, many tourists don’t know that houseboats can be found all over the Netherlands. Allow us to take you to some places in the Netherlands where houseboats will definitely add something special to your holiday. See all houseboats in Amsterdam Houseboats in Rotterdam I am sure that it won’t come as a huge surprise that Rotterdam is also harboring many houseboats. The city, with one of the largest harbors in the world, grew because of its connect