NOTE: The Contest is Open to Everyone (Members and Visitors Can Submit Entries)From the earliest days at OffCenterHarbor.com, one of the ideas that brought us together was the dream of an Off Center Boathouse — a place with small boats tied up all around where kids (and adults) could learn about building, rowing and sailing them.
We also dreamof houseboats, shantyboats and shackfloats — personal respites away from the frantic world, where we might live a simpler life afloat upon the natural world of the sea.
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Comments, Thoughts or Suggestions?
You can leave a comment or question for OCH and members below. Here are the comments so far…
William Singletary says:
I just joined. There is so much fantastic stuff on your site I will be up all nite scanning it. I have been a life long boater (77 years now) mostly sailing, but I am getting interested in a small trailerable houseboat. I built custom homes and think I can construct an 8X22 ft house boat. I will be visiting all of your sites and viewing the videios. Thanks so much for the time and effort you have put into this. I am sure I will enjoy it and get lots of useful information.
Thanks again….Bill Singletary
Steve Stone says:
Right on, Bill! Thanks for joining. I envy your getting to see 400 videos and 300 posts with totally fresh eyes!
Lee Young says:
I have been workin’ on my entry, but I can’t find any email address to send it to here on this site. Am I lookin’ in the wrong places? Anyway the Huckleberry Houseboat is on the way!
Capt’n Nat
Steve Brookman says:
houseboats(at)OffCenterHarbor(dot)com
Leif Knutsen says:
I believe a House boat should first be a boat and then a home. To that end if I were to enter I would just have entered RAVEN. Now in the very capable and loving hands of Karen Sullivan and Jim Huemann
John D Fuller says:
My 27 foot sloop has be on the hard in my driveway since 1995. Does it qualify as a houseboat now? You have an excellent and interesting site. Keep it going as long as you can.
Jerry Kirschenbaum says:
Of course the ultimate Houseboat Movie (no, not Sleepless in Seattle) is THE HORSE’S MOUTH werein Alec Guiness plays Gully Jimson, an eccentric mural painter of urban (read side of building walls) and his strange behaviors. Lives on a houseboat/barge in downtown London (Thames). Great final scene is where he has had it with the city, casts off his motorless home and just drifts out under Tower Bridge to the estuary and BEYOND.
By the way…if any of you reach Bucks Harbor (Brooksville, Maine) check out Chris Bates houseboat which recently had its second expansion by adding a porch to moor his lobsterboat. (Presently beached on lee side of Harbor Island for the winter.
steve congdon says:
How about we build on a pontoon boat base
Theodore Casellini says:
My thinking, exactly! All you need is a ramp that will hold a travel trailer/motor home, and you can park it on the ramp. I would also include some “slide-outs” for decking around the ramp.
Ray Vosper says:
Can’t wait to get started. With so many cool shantyboats already out there, this will be fun to try to improve on the type.
Alfred Jensen says:
Great idea, an interactive project!!!!!!!!, Congrats to OCH, glad I joined1
Skip Kemp says:
I’m interested to see all entries or at least more than the winning entries. Will we be able to see multiple designs and entries?
Steve Stone says:
Yes, Skip. We’re going to post as many designs as practical/possible.
John Hooge says:
I assume the Jan. 31, 2015 deadline was a typo and Jan. 31, 2016 is the intended deadline?
Steve Stone says:
Yep. Thanks John. The deadline for entries is Jan. 31, 2016. We’ve fixed that above.
Skip Kemp says:
now I see another deadline? February 14, 2016 (Valentine’s Day).