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Houseboats are my ultimate heaven - What do you love about your boat?

by Jemy
(Olivebranch, Ms.)

Houseboats on Greers Ferry Lake, Heber Springs, Arkansas

Houseboats on Greers Ferry Lake, Heber Springs, Arkansas

Houseboats are my ultimate heaven, what do you love about your house boat? First, let me begin by saying thank you for the opportunity to express myself to fellow houseboaters.


Houseboating to me is more than an adventure, it is a passion. I own one, and she's a 45 foot Stardust Cruiser and she's a beauty. I've had her for nearly three years and she's the apple of my eye.

I don't live aboard her, and she is one hundred and sixty miles away from me. I think about her all the time. I try to spend every available weekend I can aboard her beautiful steel structure.

Whether were parked at the dock all weekend, or out on the lake, I'm in ultimate heaven. There's no better feeling in the world than to wake up and walk to your front porch and see God at his best with all the naturistic views.

Houseboating to me is the ultimate extention of what all of us are looking for in a hobby or pleasure if you will.

I'm so sold on it I'm considering starting to manufacture an affordable line of houseboats. Making it possible for as many people possible to share the passion.

Thank you again, all about houseboats, for the opportunity to share my thoughts on houseboating.

Greers Ferry Lake, Heber Springs, Arkansas




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Reply - Answer

Well Jemy, thank you for sharing your moving thoughts about what houseboating means to you. My wife and I can definitely relate to what you say and feel. If you notice our "first line of text" on our home page, it says, Do you love houseboats? We sure do!

I also have always been amazed at the utter beauty of watching the morning sun rising and warming the earth, and the peacefulness that happens as the sunsets over the horizon.

I'm sure that there are many other houseboaters that feel the same way, yet it is rare that someone will take the time to express what houseboating really means to them.

In closing, I am pleased and honored that you shared your personal thoughts and feelings on what houseboating means to you. I am sure you have inspired others to do the same.



Lastly, hopefully some of our readers will share and post comments about what they love about their houseboats? Feel free to use the "Click here to post comments." link found near the bottom of this page.


Thanks again for sharing, IAN from all-about-houseboats


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Comments for Houseboats are my ultimate heaven - What do you love about your boat?

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Addicted to Houseboats
by: Big Picture Artists

We are working on renovating our 5th houseboat on Lake Lanier in GA. As artists who travel all the time, creating murals all over the world, the houseboat is a great tiny house to come back to when off the road.

Wish us luck with our new acquisition, a 1972 Stardust Cruiser 34 ft. :)

James & K
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Our first houseboat
by: George and Kristy

Wow, I know the feeling. Purchased a Nautaline. We fell in love with it. We are on Ky Lake. Looking forward to total enjoyment this spring.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Winter houseboating in NC
by: Amelia

We live in north-east NC, and even when it's too cold and blustery to go out in the boat, we use it plenty.

At Christmas, and other times when the whole clan gathers at Grandmama's house, we expand our guest space to include the wacky houseboat tied up at the dock in our backyard. It is kid-friendly bunk space and play space.

Winter is a good time to tackle those carpentry projects and housecleaning duties that got put off, back when the weather was too nice to accomplish chores.

And, of course, we do have the occasional idyllic January day when the temperature is a balmy 60 degrees, the bay is glassy calm, lots of winter bird visitors to identify, the weather is CAVU, and so what if the calendar says it is still winter?

We cast off the dock lines and go have a picnic when everybody else is watching TV.

Amelia.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Living the Pipedream
by: Amelia

I wanted a big honkin' sailboat, to sail around the world. My husband, bless his heart, gets queasy the minute the spray hits his face.

He decided that maybe a nice stable houseboat would be the answer to my watery wanderlust and his penchant for wood-butchery. The dream took on a whiff of reality when a towering stack of treated plywood arrived in our driveway.

Fast-forward a full decade, during which interval pontoon segments were built and hitched together, a deck built atop that, and a house on top of that.

Two 60 hp outboards eventually provided adequate power for an economical, though stately pace. And now, here we are, facing yet another retirement.

The galley is in, and once the propane system is done, we will have a fine working kitchen. An entirely acceptable C-Head composting toilet now graces the head, (no pumpouts!!!) and once we have the shower and hot water hooked up we will be living the good life. Any year now.

Why do I love it? Because we designed and built it from scratch. Because we have made quite a few friends with this crazy long-term project! Because it is designed for our own needs, not some mass market appeal.

Because we can, indeed must, take our time and savor this beautiful part of the world at 7mph rather than 70 in a car, or 170mph in my little Mooney airplane.

Because we can chug up the river to an idyllic spot many miles from the nearest lightbulb, and have the wilderness all to ourselves, in glorious comfort.

Because we can cruise down the sound several hours, hook up to a friend's mooring ball, and attend his annual party with no need to hurry home, because "home" is just a five-minute kayak ride out there, bobbing its welcoming anchor light. Because we can dream of spending a week or a month noodling our way to Washington DC, or down to Charleston, or even farther afield.

Dreams, big and small, that are now within reach, but hardly effortless. That is why we love this houseboat.

Amelia
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I want it so bad
by: Liz from North Carolina

Hello; My husband and I have gone back and forth on should we, or should we not buy a houseboat.

We have looked so often that we have narrowed down the type of houseboat we would like. The thing I am having trouble with is I am anxious on spending $3K a year for the dock space.

Can someone please tell me that I am not crazy and that it is a wise thing to do? During the winter, does it drive you all crazy paying for the slip, when you are not using it?

Shall I take a leap of faith and go for it? We have always wanted a lake house, but alas, we cannot afford it, so this was our idea of having a vacation house.

Please tell me some fun stories of first setting up your houseboat and how hard it was to dock. Anything you can tell me that it will be okay to do this?

Thanks so much, Liz
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Newbies almost
by: Doyle & Patty

Newbies almost because we are waiting on delivery of a new 70' Sailabration houseboat. The boat is 95% done and should be ready for delivery mid March, weather permitting.

She " No Regretts " has a king Master and queen Guest, standard household appliances, washer dryer, upper Bridge and wet bar. She is powered by two Honda 90's outboards.

We are putting her on the Red River at Shreveport La. This will be a part time live aboard as we live 20 minutes from the marina. Give us a little time to experience the houseboat style of living and I report back to you all.

Doyle & Patty
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Love our houseboat too.
by: Stardust 1

We too live in Arkansas and have our 1972 Stardust houseboat on Lake Ouachita near Hot Springs, and love the lake experience on the boat.

When you go camping, you want to camp near the water but unlike a boat you have to load and haul it to a spot if you can get one. With a boat you're already there! Just bring a few groceries and enjoy.

We love seeing nature like no where else. Eagles diving for fish, deer swimming across the lake, beavers, otters on the docks and waking up to a kingfisher knocking a fish on the head using your rails by the bedroom window. It doesn't get any closer to nature. Love it!!

When we know someone is having a rough time, we offer the boat for a retreat to help build up their spirits to go back out there and handle the world.

Reply - Answer
Well Stardust 1, thank you for sharing why you love houseboats too! And I want to congratulate you for offering your houseboat out for "therapeutic retreats". I think that is a very kind thing to do :)

IAN from www.all-about-houseboats.com
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		You Inspire Us Too.
by: Anonymous

We live in the heart of the midwest and are under a severe snow storm warning. The temperature outside today is -13 with a windchill of -40.

We just purchased our first houseboat and mourn the fact that she is wrapped up and stored until spring. Do we love our house boat?

We homage and visit every weekend by sitting in our car, with the heat blasting, and the bright beams on just looking at her. Last week, the moon was full. Reminded us of last summer...........ho hum.........Chez

Reply-Answer
Chez, I can totally relate to your feeling, of sitting in your car, in a cold wintery boat yard, admiring your boat, and waiting for spring to arrive. :)

IAN from all-about-houseboats.com

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