My wife and I are looking to purchase an old houseboat for a few hundred bucks and put it in our pond. We want to make a floating apartment for when our family comes to visit. The boat we found is a 1969 Gibson 30 foot houseboat that needs remodeling. It doesnt have an engine. No out drive either. All of the insides are there and the appliances all work. I know itll cost a bit to have it trailered to our farm, which is about 15 miles from the closest boat ramp on the river. I'll have to have it towed on the river to the ramp, and then transported to the house. My truck will move it, but I'm going to pay someone since it is a wide load and will need permits. Our plan is to put it on blocks next to the barn while we refinish it, and then hire a crane to put it in the pond.
I am sure there are lots of nay-sayers out there that wont like this idea, but it's something we are kind of passionate about and honestly really excited to try. What kind of things am I not thinking about? We plan to have a power hookup and fresh water inlet at the dock for it, and I am considering putting in another septic tank just for the houseboat to use for its pump out. I may consider putting a generator where the engine used to be in case of power outages. It isnt a huge space, but it will be enough for our families to stay in when they visit and kind of a cool thing for the kids to help with, and a place for them to stay when they get older.
There is no plan to ever remove it from the pond (small, approximately acre). Once it's in that's where itll stay. We also have no intention of leaving this place, as it will be deeded to the kids. Have any of yall done anything similar to this? How do you insure it, or can you insure it? Itll pass a marine survey, with the exception of the whole engine missing thing...bit I'm not putting one in it since it is not intended for it to ever have to operate under it's own power.
I am sure there are lots of nay-sayers out there that wont like this idea, but it's something we are kind of passionate about and honestly really excited to try. What kind of things am I not thinking about? We plan to have a power hookup and fresh water inlet at the dock for it, and I am considering putting in another septic tank just for the houseboat to use for its pump out. I may consider putting a generator where the engine used to be in case of power outages. It isnt a huge space, but it will be enough for our families to stay in when they visit and kind of a cool thing for the kids to help with, and a place for them to stay when they get older.
There is no plan to ever remove it from the pond (small, approximately acre). Once it's in that's where itll stay. We also have no intention of leaving this place, as it will be deeded to the kids. Have any of yall done anything similar to this? How do you insure it, or can you insure it? Itll pass a marine survey, with the exception of the whole engine missing thing...bit I'm not putting one in it since it is not intended for it to ever have to operate under it's own power.
