Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-27
HOUSEBOAT1N AMERICA
GROWTH OF THE IDEA OF HAVING
AN AQUATIC HOME.
Possibilities Of Affording a Delightful
and inexpensive Means Of Living
During the Warm Weather.
From Indoors and Out.

whose network VI anu iifS'S N''~~
81 an ideal country for the houseboat and
where thousands are used for commerclai
and pleasure purposes, there is no country
in the world whose waters are so well
adapted to housekeeping as are those OF
the United States.
Americans as quick to appreciate
merit and value in recreations ana Sports
as they are in business enterprises, and
when the houseboat was introduced here
they soon saw the advantages or the lie
Il offered. Once this pleasure craft re-
ceivcd the hallmark OF approval Its future
was assured One thing which seriously
initiated against the development of house
.l,oatIng In this country was the great lack
Of literature relating to the subject; but
now that the editors Of nearly all maya
zines who have their hand on the pulse OF
the public have been giving attention TO
holseboating the general dissemination OF
articles. incomplete and meager as they
may be. is bound to have very oenehciai
IL has been said that. with few excep-
tons American waters are not adaptapie
TO houseboats and that our Atlantic sea
board and it's harbors are quite too ex-
posed This is absolutely untrue, FROM
Halifax to Miami are to be found splendid
well protected harbors and inland SOUNDS
il our weather were constantly boisterous
and unsettled conditions would be differ
ent. but as in all parts of the country
storms are the exception rather than the
weather In which the most bulky and cum
bcysome houseboat cannot be towed from
one snug anchorage to another without
risk OF danger to the boat or those on
board. go
be able to journey by houseboat from Mas
sachusetts TO Florida by a series OF In
land sounds and rivers all OF which are
eventually to be connected by canals In
fact, much of the journey can now be so
made and scores Of small yachts and house
BOATS make the inside passage from New
York to Florida each fall in comfort and
safety.
The Question of Anchorage.
A.. The Pacific coast is not well adapted
70 houseboating as that OF the Atlantic,
Ou; there are many good places where an
rhorages are to be found and where the life
may be enjoyed to its fullest. Puget Sound,
with it's gorgeous scenery and thousands
OF bays and inlets. is one OF the most de-
sir4hle places for households in the world
San Francisco bay has had a fourishing
houseboat colony for many years The
Gulf OF California offers many destinations
and attractions.
Many chapters. in fact, could be written
on the possibilities of our inland lakes
and rivers. Little depth of water being re-
CURED for the houseboat, almost any
stream Is available. 1t Is hardly neces-
rary to lay further emphasis on the
adapta bility OF American waters to house
boating. all intelligent people who want
II enjoy life on the water with every com
fort 10 be had in a home ashore may read
lily see the advantages for themselves, IL
they are close observers. A practical ex-
perence is the only thing which will
satisfy the doubling ones. Households
have been used for a number of years past
all along the coast and on Inland waters;
and there is yet to be found a deserter
from the fast-growing ranks of those who
have proved the pleasure of the life. On
the contrary, their numbers are augmented
by hundreds of recruits each year
Many types of houseboats are In use to-
day: that kind and size which best meet
tastes can be determined only by actual
experience.
The real houseboat and the one which
Is the best adapted to the average need is
the lmmobile houseboat. /. e. the boat of
-She scow type without any means
of propulsion Of its own. Such a
boat Is by far the cheapest to
build the most economical to maintain.
and altogether the safest and cleanest in
every respect. No architect is needed to de-
sign her; she can be put together by the
ordinary house carpenter, and the result
should be satisfactory from the practical,
II not from the esthetic. standpoint.
Designing Scow Household
one Of the most satisfactory scow house
boats to be seen in the waters near New
York was designed by her owner. No
plans other than sketches Were made for
this boat; but instead her owner con-
structed "A complete fac-simile of her out
OF cardboard on the scale of one inch 10
the foot. After he had decided on how
:. much room he required in the interior of
the boat he proceeded to build the scow
around IT, By constructing the cardboard
boat first ne was able to make such alter
atoms In the height OF the house or the
width OF the suow and other details as
would insure boat or good proportion
When the model was completed It was
painted with water colors. and in this way
the most pleasing color scheme was at
Taneu- This model meant far more to the
average man and woman than drawing
would have done and really good idea
OF the actual boat was obtained from IT,
For anything but boat OF the scow type
"a cardboard model, however, would be dill
Hcult To make. but in the case or these
- l1Irv-erdcd craft 10 may easily be stuck
together just as Children's paper houses are
folded and pasted To put together such a
boat IN miniature viii be found absorbing
work for those who contemplate building
To move the immobile houseboat from
place To- place Il is necessary 70 tow her
OF course these bulky craft move but
slowly. even when towed by a powerful
tug. aud IL the next stopping point is some
distance away and the coast Is exposed II
is well to make an early start on a day
Whom the barometer is settled.
A E.soline launch is a great convenience
as Is tender to the houscboat Il should
he SD designed and cnginei as to be able to
move the larger vessel from place to place
need mo- expert TO run them and will be
found almost Indispensable for use In
bringing supplies to and from the landing
place ard for various trips in which the
owner may indulge himself and his guests
III fNT.orlng adjacent waters or I'm runs TO
more - mote places. II the houseboat be a
very large one. however nothing but a
powerful launch or tug would suffice to
move her about.
Do Not often Move.
Experience has demonstrated that owners
OF immobile houseboats do not move their
cratt about very much: after they have
found sheltered blight they are usually
Sonteut TO remain there But an owner
who IS not satisfied 10 remain long in one
. place or 20 be towed only occasionally TO
a new berth. would hardly be content with
the immoblc craft. lie had better at the
outset determine on the power houseboat
The best power for such uses today is the
gasoline engine. These motors are power
%flIl, safe and reliable and answer well an
the requirements eXaCted Of. them As soon
as W. undertake n vessel Of this type the
situation complexities itself and Is quite
too Involved FOR the average man TO ne
gotta.e for himself The prospective owner
should consult an experienced naval archi-