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Living the Houseboat Life, on the Mississippi River

by El
(Upper Mississippi River)

The view from our houseboat on the Mississippi

The view from our houseboat on the Mississippi

We are living the houseboat on the Mississippi River and we love it. We sold our home and "stuff" except for REALLY important "stuff" as in our 9 year old son. My husband and I moved on board our 55 ft "remodeled for living" houseboat and have never looked back and still love it.


We both work our respective businesses while we enjoy everything about the lifestyle of living aboard. I like the fact that I can clean from top to bottom in a very short period of time. Although at the moment I have someone coming in every other week to clean! haha How about that? House keeper on a boat you're saying? haha It's perfect...and she does windows!

Let's see, so besides "house keeping" or would that be "boat keeping? I'm still enjoying my original "live a board" prerequisites aka a full sized bathtub, washer/dryer (in the same drum), water softener, room for my shoes! All of that, AND we can "unplug" for 7 months of the year and make a clean get-a-way!!

PS: Here are a few Myths we can de-bunk for you!

. We DO pay property taxes (we own the land)
. When renting, owner of property pays taxes
. We are cozy warm in the winter time
. We don't get sea sick! haha

El, from the Mississippi River.




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Reply - Answer


Well El, congratulations on refurbishing your live-aboard houseboat. From what I can see in the photo, it looks like a large Gibson model?

As in everything in life, there is always a price to everything and it seems you have adapted very well to the "live on the water" lifestyle.


Lastly, hopefully some of our readers and visitors will share and post comments about their living on a houseboat experiences and tips.

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 Living the Houseboat Life, on the Mississippi River

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		El - Filming Request
by: Oliver

Hi El, I saw your photos and read your comments about your life on the Mississippi :-) So amazing!

I am a producer for the public German Tv and am working on a longer documentary about the Mississippi River and would love to get in contact with you.

If you have a chance to read this and would be interested, please contact me at:

oliver.richardt@gmail.com

Thank you!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		water softeners
by: Terry

Vance and Sandy, we also live (part time ) on a houseboat. which brand of water softener do you have on your boat, is it salt based, and does it remove the minerals? we have a terrible problem with calcium and magnesium minerals stopping up our shower heads and condensing out on the cabinets around the sink.
Thanks in advance,
Terry
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		To Vance and Sandy
by: El

Vance and Sandy, you will love your life on the river. We are entering our 14th year and still love it everyday! Do keep posting.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		We are selling also
by: Vance and Sandy

We are also selling everything and going toward a live aboard. With All About Houseboats ebooks etc... I am getting prepared.

Very excited! Really enjoyed your article. Hopefully, Sandy and I can add ours soon.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Need to rent place to dock a houseboat
by: Donna

I need a place to dock a houseboat in the Gulf Coast area. I live in Lucedale MS, so anywhere within an 1 hour (50 miles) in any direction.

Donna.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		What are the requirements
by: Tom Moore

I want to build a houseboat on the Tennessee River. Is there a marina I can rent a dry dock to build it at, and then transfer it to the water.

It is 32x16x13, and do I need to build a waste water tank for sink water, and can a boat slip accommodate a boat 16 feet wide on that river?

Tom.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Need advice on houseboating
by: Munch

I am planning on building a houseboat and boating from the Mississippi River in Dubuque, Iowa to New Orleans. I've done an incredible amount of research and still know very little.

If anyone has ever boated down the river (or any long stretch of River) in a houseboat, please let me know.

Thanks, Munch.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		@ Don
by: El

Don, if you are looking to talk with people who having experience living aboard, my advice would be to locate a marina or two in your area and introduce yourself. Most boaters are very social people and would enjoy talking with you.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Living on a houseboat
by: Don

How can I get to talk with people that live on boats, sure would like to try it before it's too late.

Don.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		The Entrepreneurial Life Onboard
by: El

I'd love to write more often for this publication if you'all are interested, I have many beautiful pictures to share with you. I believe this original post was mine.

I'm an author who thoroughly enjoys living on board, it's been the perfect place to write for a living. Houseboat life for 23 years has been the best adventure ever.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Living on a houseboat
by: Don

Would like to talk with someone about living on a boat. I'm an older guy and live alone and I need suggestions. I'm on the Mississippi River by Sabula, Iowa
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		We live on a houseboat!
by: Marnie

We live on a 38 ft custom made housecruiser on Lake Ontario near Toronto in the summer! We have done this for ten years at the same marina and really enjoy it.

We have done summer cruising on the Trent Severn, Rideau Canal and Thousand Islands. Now we usually just go out to tour people around.

In the winter this boat is put on the hard, so we move to our second boat. Our second boat is a 38 ft. Custom made pontoon houseboat moored in DeLand Florida. We have been there for ten years also.

We have done some limited cruising on the St. John's River but plan to take the boat north to Jacksonville and along the ICW for two months or so.

We have always liked this lifestyle but most people think we are crazy. Different strokes for different folks!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Living on a boat in the upper Mississippi River
by: Dan And Vickie S

We moved out of our house and my beloved garage, divided up everything amongst our children and got rid of what was left and moved onto a 62 Skipperliner in Minnesota two years ago.

We have never looked back. It is like coming home from work everyday to vacation. It is definitely an adventure especially in Minnesota.

Boat is plenty warm in the winter, and a 3/4" hose bubbler keeps most of the ice away. Life is short make it an adventure!

Dan & Vickie.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Living in Sabula Harbor on a boat
by: Don

The people that were talking about bubbling a boat in Sabula Harbor, please contact me as I am thinking about doing the same thing.

Thanks, Don
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I want to join
by: WS

I am kind of an adventurous lady with ambitions of water living for a long time. I hope someone can get back to me with a sort of blue print or instructions on how to get started. I appreciate your help.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Living on a houseboat
by: Glenn

So do you leave your boat in the water all year with bubblers? Or where on the Mississippi are you? We are by Sabula, and we would like to live on our boat year round.

I think it would be a big money saver, rather than a big house payment every month.

Glenn
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Traveling to KY from the north
by: Anonymous

I really would like to talk with people traveling to KY Lake. I have been thinking about doing it this year.

Thanks, Don
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		More Photos of the ...
by: Anonymous

Hi,
More photos of the interiors of these boats and also how do you stay warm in the winter? Also a Minnesotan.. What are the monthly costs?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Houseboat Living on the Mississippi
by: Jane

My husband and I sold our house and live full time on our houseboat. We are near St. Paul MN now and plan to travel south to Kentucky Lake for the winter months. We would love to talk to anyone who has made, or is making, this trip.

Jane.

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