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The houseboat rebuilding project of the year, remodeling and refurbishing a steel houseboat.

When it comes to the houseboat rebuilding project of the year... we received all kinds of emails showing boaters everywhere modernizing their older/tired boats.

The following article below is due to receiving an email from one of our reader's who wanted to show me what he had done (and worked on for the last 11 months). I think he surely win's a prize (or a big A for effort).


The Steel Houseboat Rebuilding Project




How to rebuild a steel houseboat
A tired and rusted 1989 steel Skipperliner houseboat.




A copy of the email that I received



IAN, what a great resource I found with your website today! After what we have been through this last year I wished I would have known about your website sooner. Maybe my story will motivate others to embrace the houseboat lifestyle or finish a long overdue project that seemed overwhelming.

Last year we purchased a 1989 Skipperliner after relocating to Arizona and missing our lake life of Wisconsin. Of course I was Too Smart to listen to my wife when she suggested we get a survey first.

Needless to say, after just enjoying this vessel for just a couple of months we found ourselves running around with everyone on our dock to remove items from the boat as it was sinking beyond our control.

With the help of a fire dept pumping boat and some sheet metal and caulking we were able to keep it floating long enough to get it on a trailer. We sat dejected after our fun money was spent and we had a pile of rust.

After a couple of days of deliberation, we borrowed some grinders and started attacking the hull. After it was determined this was going to be awhile, we decided to gut the interior to only a shell.

We then spent the next 11 months on dry dock watching people heading to the lake for days of recreation. As miserable as this would seem, the project somehow turned into a passion to create something unusual.

Now as we are floating again, the time seemed very short to have created something our family and friends can enjoy for years to come!

"If it was easy, everyone would do it"

Hopefully others are inspired by our story. Jeff Overby




The BEFORE Photos of the Rebuilding Project



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
Good sized holes showing through the steel houseboats hull.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
Gaping holes opened up around the steel houseboats hull.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
Stripped out the interior of the houseboat.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboat was emptied and verified.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
Here we are stripping out the houseboat walls.




The DURING Photos of the Rebuilding Project




How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboat exterior was emptied to begin the sandblasting & painting.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats exterior was spray painted to give a whole new look.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats hull was replated with fresh new steel plates.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats exterior stage is getting close to the end.






The AFTER Photos of the Rebuilding Project




How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats exterior design with fresh paint and modern graphics.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats front deck flooring with some furniture.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats interior design with modern furniture and flooring.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats interior (mid-ship) showing the Open Air design.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboat with updated and modernized bathrooms.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats newly remodeled bedrooms and flooring.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats updated rear-deck flooring and ladder.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats remodeled spare bedroom.



How to rebuild a steel houseboat
The houseboats modernized flat-screen tv's.



As you can surely see, this type of houseboat rebuilding project is not for the "weak at heart" as it does require some serious space, tools, friends, and funds for it all to come together. But once you complete such a project, you can rest assured that there will be years of irreplaceable memories made... :)


The END of the houseboat rebuild project





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