Houseboat news around the world
Confused man scares artist Ellen ten Damme in her own Amsterdam houseboat
'Houseboats seem especially popular amongst confused men' The nationally famous Dutch artist Ellen ten Damme was confronted with a confused man last Monday night in her houseboat in Amsterdam. The man thought he lived there and would not leave. "He even was wearing a scarf that my mother knitted, and said it was his own." When the singer came home she found the man. "He drank red wine, had the fireplace lit, watched TV, had a hookah there, and said it was his house!" she reports startled. He brought a rug of his own and spread it over the floor, and some plants had been moved. The man also did some laundry in the house of the singer. “He even was wearing a scarf that my mother knitted, and said that it was his own.” He clearly tried to make himself comfortable and he really felt at home. (Photo: Maarten Brante) French intruder The police finally came to pick up the man. "The investigation has indicated that it probably was a Frenchman. He spoke gibberish in French. Hence he had drun
Jan's idea about discovering Berlin with a houseboat
Handcrafted houseboat to discover Berlin What ways are there to fully experience a city’s potential? Take a city hike, rent a bicycle to explore the various parts of the city, or do a guided walking tour perhaps? Jan Rademacher, or ‘the Admiral’ as his friends call him, had a different idea when it came to exploring ‘his’ Berlin. From his workplace in Köpenick, he and his crew carefully built four identical self-driving houseboats. Available for rent in the Berlin area, his houseboats are the primary ingredient for a one-of-a-kind Berlin holiday. Jan’s houseboats are as unique, as they are simple. Basics such as a camping toilet and a small kitchenette allow the four brave sailors to embark on their journey in the Berlin area. The houseboats are equipped with an electric engine, enabling you to drive the houseboat through the quiet natural protected waters. The backwaters of Berlin are near endless. You will find a secluded beach, a deserted industrial area, or promenades artfully
Meet the safest houseboat in the world
Extremely safe does not have to be boring Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a doomsday prepper to appreciate this unique vessel. Actually, a stay on the Capsule - a lifeboat built in 1972 in California – will be an unforgettable experience for anyone who’s in for something completely different. Currently, the Capsule is located in Ewijk, in the mid-east of the Netherlands, close to the German border. Originally, the vessel was built as a lifeboat, and it could evacuate up to 28 persons in case of an emergency, equipped with a heavy-duty engine, sprinkler system, and inboard oxygen appliances. Until a few years ago, the boat was hanging on a North Sea oil rig, waiting for such an event to happen – luckily, it never happened. Safety (and luxury) first We’re glad to say that the Capsule – without a doubt the safest houseboat in the world – has found a much more useful purpose. Two courageous entrepreneurs (Veldhuis and Terpstra) bought the lifeboat in 2008 and turned it into a unique h
Narrow boat rentals in the UK & London
A Wide Variety of Narrowboat Options The narrowboat – or narrow boat as these vessels are originally called – are the most typical boats in the UK. Once, they were built to transport goods through the narrow canals of the British inland waterways. The boats could not be wider then 7 foot, otherwise they would get stuck in some of the locks. By now, most of these boats are used as (semi) permanent homes or as narrowboat rentals. A lovely example of a traditional narrowboat is the ‘Stepping Stone’ in Surrey, hosted by Julie White. It’s hard to imagine that in the early days, we’re talking about the18th century, these boats were drawn by horses, guided by a crew member – often a child. At first the families who were in the narrowboat business would live on shore. But as soon as competition from the railway rose, those families could often no longer pay the rent and were forced to go live on board of these canal boats. A tough life, with long working days and poor living conditions. How
What is a houseboat? Definition of a houseboat
What is a houseboat? Good question! Quite often we get the question what the exact definition of a houseboat is. An interesting question, because the answer is less simple then you might think. Around the world there are various classifications for these floating homes. As far as we’re concerned a houseboat is any boat or barge that has been modified or designed to function as a house. The reason for this broad definition is that houseboats are used, designed and modified different all over the world. In France you will mostly find modified freight boats (or péniche as the French call them), in Germany and the United States it’s common to cruise the rivers with a pontoon boat (Hausboot in German), India is known for it’s traditional spice boat cruises and in the Netherlands you will almost only find houseboats that are moored to the shore. However, despite this variation there are four types of houseboats that we can use for pretty much every houseboat around the world. Let’s have
Houseboat rentals in Hamburg - a great match!
This Hamburg houseboat is the perfect floating home for holiday or business trip If there’s one place in Germany where boats have played a major role, it’s Hamburg. Ever since the city was founded in the ninth century trading ships have set sail to this ever expanding harbor, making it the second largest city of Germany overtime. Therefore it’s quite remarkable that it has taken some time before the first houseboats from Hamburg arrived on our website. But that time has come, and we’re proud to present our first Hamburg houseboat rental on our platform. Even before you have entered this floating home, you know this is something special. The outdoor design is futuristic and its contemporary style is integrated in the whole concept of the houseboat. A spacious living room gives a wonderful view over the water, and at the same time the large windows allow lots of light back into the boat. This brings us to the core inspiration of the design: light, water and clear forms. All resulting i
Berlin Houseboat Rental
Explore Berlin and its river views from a houseboat! Sitting in your comfortable chair, enjoying being with friends and family in the living room while the energizing city of Berlin is passing by. And just one hour ago you were floating in the amazing nature that the Templiner See by Potsdam has to offer. That’s all possible thanks to our newest houseboats that give you more opportunities than you have ever imagined. Basically a houseboat rental in Berlin offers the best of both worlds: you have all the comfort that a modern apartment has to offer while you can drive wherever you want at a comfortable speed. And the best of all: you can be the captain of this boat, even if you don’t have a license to drive a boat! Berlin from a houseboat While most boats in the major houseboat cities are moored and can’t be driven around, this boat is really designed to be used as a boat. This way it offers a unique way of exploring the city and even the wide area around. Just step aboard and go whe
The most amazing houseboats in Paris, the city of love
Paris: the city of love, and the city of the péniche Paris. Ville de l’amour. When travelling to Paris, the lights, the beautiful architecture, the exquisite French cuisine, or the language that makes you melt inside easily enchants you. However, there are hidden gems to be found in Paris. These secrets lay on the river Seine, twisting through the heart of Paris. The French call it a péniche, authentic riverboats often built by the Dutch, now used mostly as luxurious apartments on the river Seine, floating gently among the stone architectural masterpieces of Paris. Spacious alternative Let’s be honest: sleeping on a boat adds a special something to your holiday experience. Whereas a standard hotel room (maybe not counting the Paris Ritz) offers you solely a place to sleep, a houseboat, or in this case a péniche, makes your stay an exceptional one. Besides the unique experience, sleeping on a houseboat in Paris has more advantages. Since the Seine crosses the city directly, you are alw
Do you become seasick on a houseboat?
Do you get motion sickness (seasick) on a houseboat: myth or not? As houseboat enthusiasts we get quite a lot of questions about motion sickness. Today we received another message from Anna, who is thinking about renting a houseboat in Amsterdam. “But I’m quite worried that my mother and sister would get seasick if the boat is moving”, she says." They tend to get sick in the back seats of a car easily, not to mention if we take a ferry or a fishing trip at sea. So please advice about the chances of getting seasick on a houseboat.” No movement, no sea sickness Well Anna, the main question to be answered is: will the boat you’re interested in move or not. Without movement, no sea sickness. That means that pretty much all houseboats in Amsterdam, for example, are safe for you to rent. Most houseboats we rent are moored, fixed to the canal walls. They will hardly move or not move at all, even with severe winds. Please bear in mind that most houseboats are very heavy and therefore won’t r
Lake Powell is without a doubt the ultimate houseboat destination
Lake Powell, the ultimate houseboat rental destination It’s safe to say that Lake Powell is the ultimate destination for everyone who loves freedom, amazing views and unspoiled nature. With a length over 180 miles and 2000 miles around, you can drive for hours without having the feeling that you’re actually in the most popular houseboat destination of the country. The perfect cool blue water, amazing beaches and fantastic sport opportunities are just a few reasons to plan a trip to this wonderful lake. Many will enjoy the beauty and the solitude of Lake Powell. Others will like the variety of water recreation the area has to offer. Fishing for example. Of course there’s crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, brown trout and rainbow trout, but did you know Lake Powell is famous for striped bass too? Want to know more about this? Check out Waynes Words, a great source of information when it comes to fishing Lake Powell for stripers, and protecting the lake from the invasive quagga mussels
Houseboats are not cold, but a great place to stay in winter season
Cold feet for renting a houseboat in winter season? A wide spread misunderstanding is that houseboats would not be a pleasant place to stay in the winter. And we can understand this too: a boat laying in cold water, or even in ice, does not seem to be the most comfortable place to be. In this article we’ll take a closer look at this matter and you'll find out that the winter period is actually one of the most cosy periods of the year to stay on a houseboat, for various reasons. The first question we should answer is: do all houseboat owners have cold feet as soon as the temperature drops? The answer is pretty simple: no, of course not. The reason for this is that these floating homes are designed to accommodate people all year round. Let’s have a look at Amsterdam, home of over 2.500 houseboats and a place that can get really cold from November till March. It’s not rare that all the canals freeze up and people are ice skating all through town. Cosy concrete barges Overall there ar
Rent a houseboat while fishing in Amsterdam!
True anglers come to Amsterdam and stay on a houseboat Amsterdam is known for a wide variety of international attractions. The 'Van Gogh' Museum, the 'Anne Frank House', the 'Red Light District', the 1001 coffee shops where you can legally buy cannabis, and… the amazing sport fishing opportunities. That’s the reason why thousands of anglers visit the ‘zander capital of the world’ every year. And when doing so, there’s no better place to stay then on a houseboat! When doing a tour through Amsterdam with a hop-on hop-off tourist boat, there’s a good chance you’ll hear the two following questions being asked: 1) Do people really live in those floating homes? 2) Is there any fish in these canals? Both questions can be answered with a big fat yes. The 2.500 houseboats in Amsterdam have been housing people ever since the early ‘50’s of the 20th century. The lack of cheap housing in the city center made people inventive: barges, carriers and small fishing boats were transformed into simple