A little custom house for a single sailor--my blog

bobperry · #1 (**permalink**) 12-14-2011

Over on CA we were discussing small houses so I dig up this idea I had about five years ago. It combines the requirements of my own quirky life style with what I have learned working with small spaces. 560 sq. ft. works for me. Hope you get a kick out of it.

tdw · #2 (**permalink**) 12-14-2011

Nice stuff BP.

I often sit on the boat and think how wonderful to have a house that was not much more than a squared of boat interior. I certainly don't need all that much space to live in though books are becoming something of a problem.

Me, I'd like it be sitting on the edge of a lake or a bay with that verandah handing out over the water. Alternatively on a really rugged bit of cliff with the verandah cantilevered out over the edge.

I'd bang a caravan up behind the house so people could come and stay but not get under foot.

(and if they really annoyed me I could just roll the caravan down the hill .... bwahaha ... )

Faster · #3 (**permalink**) 12-14-2011

It's fairly often we're in a nice secluded anchorage with a decent site for a small cabin and we have similar thoughts.. Solar, 12V, propane fridge, small and easily managed, off the grid.. we can survive many weeks afloat that way, why not ashore as well?

Edit.. just checked the blog... we have friends with waterfront. They have yet to build a house but built a garage with accommodations above - their 'loft' is laid out almost the same as what you've drawn, Bob. Totally comfy for two!

davidpm · #4 (**permalink**) 12-14-2011

The latest Woodenboat Mag has a Shandy Boat plans. Sort of a house boat but not so fancy. Still cost 70g to build if I remember correctly but it floats.

Ocarina II · #5 (**permalink**) 12-14-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobperry

Over on CA we were discussing small houses so I dig up this idea I had about five years ago. It combines the requirements of my own quirky life style with what I have learned working with small spaces. 560 sq. ft. works for me. Hope you get a kick out of it.

Friend of mine builds self contained eco friendly shipping container homes.
They have solar electricity, super insulation and composting toilets. Natural and sustainable materials like cork and bamboo. The whole side lowers like a drawbridge to create a large cantilever deck revealing sliding glass wall panels. When away the deck swings up providing vault-like security. Stack several or just plunk a single down on any patch of paradise you choose.

SloopJonB · #6 (**permalink**) 12-14-2011

The first thing I thought when I saw the plan was how well it would fit on a ferro barge hull. You could have your sailboat moored to the deck.

smurphny · #7 (**permalink**) 12-15-2011

So why not just transport a GOB (glass because wood would rot), dig a waterline-deep hole and voila, you have a house every bit as uncomfortable and cramped as a boat, your "cave in the water" but on land. You could even heel it slightly to get the true feeling of being on the water causing you to lose your balance and fall occasionally and having things roll away as soon as dropped. Of course you would need to install some small interior sprinklers to imitate the leaks caused by wind-driven rain. In case of the next great flood of 40 days and 40 nights, YOU would not have to worry.

bobperry · #8 (**permalink**) 12-15-2011

Smurf:
Not bad. It wouldn't take much to give the boat/house some motion either. Just a gentle rocking most of the time then a sudden unexpected knockdown every once and a while just to keep things realistic.

Diver:
I have no problem at all reading it. The header is tight to the top and does not intrude at all on the content of the blog. Sory you are having a problem but I have not heard this from anyone else.

I'm not asking you to grade my site and you sound like an angry kind of guy. I suggest you HTFU.

CalebD · #9 (**permalink**) 12-15-2011

I read about a guy (probably here on sailnut) who was doing just as you suggest; buying boneyard boats and turning them into mini-residences on land in Colorado, or somewhere far from big water. I also googled: "boats used for bed and breakfast" and found a bunch of hits in the US, Holland, UK and elsewhere, even right here in NYC in the Rockaways.

I do love the way BP uses the nautical terms for the rooms in his house: galley, head, settee etc. Very ship shape. Many inner city apartment dwellers would agree that you do not need as much space as the McMansion craze would have us believe.

Questions for Bob P: what about the foundation for your house, any plans for that? Basement storage for utilities? Any thoughts on using solar and/or wind generators and batteries for some of the interior lighting (using LEDs of course)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by smurphny

So why not just transport a GOB (glass because wood would rot), dig a waterline-deep hole and voila, you have a house every bit as uncomfortable and cramped as a boat, your "cave in the water" but on land. You could even heel it slightly to get the true feeling of being on the water causing you to lose your balance and fall occasionally and having things roll away as soon as dropped. Of course you would need to install some small interior sprinklers to imitate the leaks caused by wind-driven rain. In case of the next great flood of 40 days and 40 nights, YOU would not have to worry.

bobperry · #10 (**permalink**) 12-15-2011

Caleb:
In that my house would be but on a slope I would have at least a crawl space. But I really did not give any thought to the systems of the house I suppose, like my current house it would be propane powered. The boiler could be in my stowage shed by the breezeway. I love heated floors but I also love having a fire in the fireplace. I suppose I could have solar panels on the roof and I think I would. I am noise phobic so I'm not sure a wind generator is right for me. When I am not hearing music I want to hear silence.

I used the nautical terminology just for fun I guess. I do tend to think that way.

As for a boat set on a lot: My house is pretty much an escape from boats. If you were to visit my home today you would not find anything nautical anywhere except in my large office which is all nautical as dictated by my line of work. OK, I do have some nice, big vintage sailing yacht photos on the walls of Spike's room. But that's it.

If I wanted to live on a boat, and I would like that too, I have done that, I would make sure it was in a marina not on a hillside.