I moved to Ketchikan, Alaska in 1986 and it was home, off an on until 2006. There were quite a number of people living in "float houses", homes built on log rafts. There were even several large logging companies with whole communities of these, al interconnected with floating boardwalks. These would be towed to wherever the work was. A lot of them disappeared due to clean water regulations. In 1979 there was one in Whale Pass on Prince of Wales Island. Tthe logging company tried to get Corps of Engineers approval for septic facilities so they could build a camp on land. When they didn't get that approval they towed in the floating camp since the Coast Guard wasn't as strict about pumping effluent into the ocean (at that time).
Some of the float houses were very elaborate while others were small cabins.
Great article. It so perfectly captures a vision I expect many of your readers share. My version includes a scow schooner, like was once used on San Francisco Bay to haul hay as the main fuel for a horse-based transportation system. Forgoing the speed possible with a more shapely hull, would increase the capacity and greatly simplify building such a craft. The addition of a sail would eliminate the need for those noisy contraptions that always seem to complicate being on the water. I expect that exploring someplace like the Salish Sea, or maybe Chesapeake Bay, on such a craft, would be a rewarding way to spend a few years.
I love reading an article about a lifestyle and a concept I never knew existed! Very interesting and I'm looking forward to perusing their website.
So, here's the deal. If it's not an article specific to restoring a WWP15 that say someone picked up at an auction by Deception Pass, no mast, of course, and is now trying to explain how cool this is going to be to his wife of 43 years, make it an article like this! Hahaha.
The more I read, the more interesting it became. Thanks for sharing this interesting story.
I find living aboard most interesting and desirable. However, with so many restrictions to live aboard any craft in so many areas, it's difficult to find a suitable river or location on the ICW for anchoring out for prolonged periods of time. With that said, it seems to me about the only way to liveaboard permanently, you have to keep moving. Obviously cruising any river or ICW provides facilities for obtaining food, water, fuel and maintenance, although the ICW has more options. For those of us who are seniors and require regular medical appointments, this life style is difficult to pursue. For younger folks I can see how this would be something they could experience for several years, but eventually financial issues and simply growing older does have it's limitations.
whatever happened to the Moss Rock designed by Sam Devlin ?????????? That would be my dream live aboard. I've noticed its design has been taken off the current site of His designs (bummer).
So wish I could find a way to have a shanty boat home in a secluded cove on Puget Sound or the San Juan Islands.
I moved to Ketchikan, Alaska in 1986 and it was home, off an on until 2006. There were quite a number of people living in "float houses", homes built on log rafts. There were even several large logging companies with whole communities of these, al interconnected with floating boardwalks. These would be towed to wherever the work was. A lot of them disappeared due to clean water regulations. In 1979 there was one in Whale Pass on Prince of Wales Island. Tthe logging company tried to get Corps of Engineers approval for septic facilities so they could build a camp on land. When they didn't get that approval they towed in the floating camp since the Coast Guard wasn't as strict about pumping effluent into the ocean (at that time).
Some of the float houses were very elaborate while others were small cabins.
Great article. It so perfectly captures a vision I expect many of your readers share. My version includes a scow schooner, like was once used on San Francisco Bay to haul hay as the main fuel for a horse-based transportation system. Forgoing the speed possible with a more shapely hull, would increase the capacity and greatly simplify building such a craft. The addition of a sail would eliminate the need for those noisy contraptions that always seem to complicate being on the water. I expect that exploring someplace like the Salish Sea, or maybe Chesapeake Bay, on such a craft, would be a rewarding way to spend a few years.
I love reading an article about a lifestyle and a concept I never knew existed! Very interesting and I'm looking forward to perusing their website.
So, here's the deal. If it's not an article specific to restoring a WWP15 that say someone picked up at an auction by Deception Pass, no mast, of course, and is now trying to explain how cool this is going to be to his wife of 43 years, make it an article like this! Hahaha.
The more I read, the more interesting it became. Thanks for sharing this interesting story.
I find living aboard most interesting and desirable. However, with so many restrictions to live aboard any craft in so many areas, it's difficult to find a suitable river or location on the ICW for anchoring out for prolonged periods of time. With that said, it seems to me about the only way to liveaboard permanently, you have to keep moving. Obviously cruising any river or ICW provides facilities for obtaining food, water, fuel and maintenance, although the ICW has more options. For those of us who are seniors and require regular medical appointments, this life style is difficult to pursue. For younger folks I can see how this would be something they could experience for several years, but eventually financial issues and simply growing older does have it's limitations.
whatever happened to the Moss Rock designed by Sam Devlin ?????????? That would be my dream live aboard. I've noticed its design has been taken off the current site of His designs (bummer).