The New Houseboat Adventure Begins!

We’re now making some progress with building a new houseboat.  We closed on purchasing an old, rather disheveled houseboat built on a wooden barge hull that was originally constructed as a pile-driving barge in the 1930’s.

It finally received the all important FOWR (floating on-water residence) permit which was a condition of closing the deal.  Now we are waiting for a slot to open up at the dry dock so we can move it there and then destroy it.

In the meantime both Alice and I have visited it.  I went just prior to closing the deal and along with Mike our neighbor made bids on some of the items the previous owner was intending to remove – it was a like an episode of the reality TV show “Pickers” as we bartered back and forth on the items.

We ended up with some very cool stained glass doors, a Dutch door complete with porthole and anchor-shaped door knocker, a cool hutch, multiple larger brass portholes, a couple bay windows and very cool bathroom fixtures.

 

 

 

This houseboat must have been party-central in its heyday in the 1980’s.  It had a steam room complete with a floor that raised hydraulically to expose a large hot tub, a very large shower, a “ballroom” with chandelier and disco ball and much more.  I can only imagine what went on…

 

 

It was also used as a centerpiece for Seattle’s Seafair festival, apparently sponsored by Budweiser complete with a 30ft beer bottle which was used as a sighting point for the Blue Angels when they conducted their aerial acrobatic displays.

 

 

 

 

 

Now we’re working with Mike, a naval architect and the attorney to finish design, get city approvals and hopefully get the build underway – it is bound to be an exciting adventure!