Houseboat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the movie, see Houseboat (film)
A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a human dwelling. Some houseboats are not motorized, because they are usually moored, kept stationary at a fixed point.
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[edit] Use of houseboats
Houseboats are common as permanent dwellings in Southeast Asia; in some other areas, they may serve more frequently as secondary or vacation homes or for tourism.
[edit] Australia
In Australia, especially on the Murray River and the sunny coastline of Queensland, there are many motorised, pontoon-based houseboats with two or more bedrooms; some of these houseboats have levels or storeys. Some are privately owned as either a primary residence or a holiday shack. Many are also available for hire (rent) as self-driven holiday destinations with accommodation for four to perhaps a dozen persons. Many males enjoy gathering together to fish and drink alcohol in the safe passages of the Coomera River and The Great Sandy Straits near the World's largest sand island - Fraser Island. A renowned cruising destination for Queensland houseboaters is the Isle of Barri - a unique, peaceful location sought by many, but only found by a dedicated few. There are many houseboat building companies in Australia, but the biggest and most well knowen would have to be Houseboat Concepts in South Australia. They produce some of the best boats in the world.
[edit] Europe
In Europe, some of the finest and costliest examples of houseboats can be seen along the canals of Amsterdam (in the Netherlands), which even has houseboat hotels. Houseboats are very expensive nowadays in Amsterdam because of the limited number of moorings; this expense has reduced the likelihood that the approximately 2,400 families that live on the inner waters of Amsterdam will find themselves confronted by new neighbour boats.
[edit] India
In India, houseboats are common on the backwaters of Kerala, see below, and on the Dal Lake near Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir].
[edit] Kerala houseboats
The houseboats in Kerala, south India, are huge, slow-moving, exotic barges used for leisure trips. They are a reworked model of Kettuvallams (in the Malayalam language, Kettu means "tied with ropes", and vallam means "boat"), which, in earlier times, were used to carry rice and spices from Kuttanad to the Kochi port. Kerala houseboats were considered a convenient means of transportation.
The popularity of Kettuvalloms has returned in the function as major tourist attractions. Many find the Kettuvallom an ideal means of exploring the beauty of the Kerala backwaters.
Such a houseboat is about 60 to 70 feet (about 18 to 21 meters) long and about 15 feet (about 5 meters) wide at the middle. The hull is made of wooden planks that are held together by ropes of coconut fiber; the usual wood is 'Anjili'. The roof is made of bamboo poles and palm leaves. The exterior of the boat is painted with protective coats of cashew nut oil.
[edit] Kashmir houseboats
Unlike their counterparts in Kerala, the houseboats in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir are usually stationary. They are usually moored at the edges of the Dal and Nageen lakes. Some of the houseboats there have been built in the early 1900's, and are still being rented out to tourists. These houseboats are made of wood, and usually have intricately carved wood panelling. The houseboats are of different sizes, some having up to three bedrooms apart from a living room and kitchen.
Many tourists are attracted to Srinagar by the charm of staying on a houseboat, which provides the unique experience of living on the water in a cedar-paneled elegant bedroom, with all the conveniences of a luxury hotel. Srinagar's thousand or so houseboats are moored along sections of the Dal and Nagin Lakes and river Jhelum, each decorated fancifully and named romantically and even whimsically. Like hotels, houseboats vary in degree of luxury and have been accordingly graded by the Department of Tourism. A luxury houseboat, like a luxury hotel has fine furniture, good carpets and modern bathroom fittings, while the ‘D category’ (the lowest category) of houseboats, like low-budget hotels, is spartanly furnished. Like hotels too, houseboats vary widely in their locations. Some overlook the main road, others look out onto lotus gardens and yet others face tiny local markets and villages, all right in the middle of the lake! All houseboats, regardless of category, have highly personalized service. Not only is there always a "houseboy" for every boat, but the owner and his family are never far away. The cost per day of hiring a houseboat includes all meals and free rides from the houseboat to the nearest jetty and back, as no houseboat on the lakes is directly accessible from the banks.
Every standard houseboat provides a balcony in the front, a lounge, dining room, pantry and 3 or more bedrooms with attached bathrooms. All houseboats not moored to the bank of the river or lakes provide a shikara as a free service from the houseboat to the nearest Ghat (jetty). Virtually every houseboat in Srinagar has been provided with a municipal water connection.
[edit] United Kingdom
United Kingdom, canal narrowboats are used as homes and also as mobile, rented, holiday accommodation. Narrowboats were originally used for bulk transport of raw materials and fuel on canals constructed at the start of the Industrial revolution. Nowadays, the canal network is mainly used for recreation and is different to typical holiday locations, which are usually based in coastal or rural areas, because canals are inland and often pass through many former historical, industrial, urban areas.
In coastal regions of the United Kingdom, the beached hulls of old boats and ships have been used as homes in the past, for example, Peggotty's houseboat of the 1840s in the novel David Copperfield. The few that remain today are more likely to be used as holiday shacks than as homes.
[edit] United States
In USA, houseboats are gaining in popularity. Houseboating in the United States started in the late 1940s when people were looking for the ability to stay on the water for longer periods of time. Lake Cumberland in Kentucky, is considered the birthplace of houseboating in the USA. Today one can find motorized houseboats with over 2000 sq. ft. of living space. Seattle is home to a relatively large collection of floating houseboat neighborhoods, particularly in Lake Union and Portage Bay. Most houseboats are designed and built for inland lakes and waterways only. Renting houseboats has also become a popular vacation idea for Americans. In addition, houseboats have been used for commerce; on the Northern Neck of Virginia, Chesapeake National Bank at one time had a floating bank branch called the Boat 'n Bank that provided bank services to watermen.
[edit] For recreation
Houseboating is a very popular recreational activity for groups of people of all ages aboard houseboats of all varieties ranging from more modest 30-40 foot boats to 70 foot-plus luxury houseboat models. Houseboating is an appealing and rewarding outdoor experience for many reasons:
- Great variety of beautiful terrain depending on lake and time of year. See the houseboating lake section below to learn more about some of the larger houseboat lakes.
- A multitude of water-based recreation options are at your fingertips when you choose to embark on a houseboating trip. Camping, hiking, fishing, waterskiing, powerboating, exploring, sunbathing and plain old relaxing are some of the things you can do. The more affordable houseboats offer a more traditional, camping like outdoor experience, where fishing, camping and closer quarters offer more opportunities for families or small groups to experience the lake in a Huck Finn manner that offers its own quaint rewards. Another benefit of a smaller houseboat is its ability to navigate lakes with much more agility, leading to more secluded areas. With a more luxury houseboat model, you can expect amenities equal to a very posh hotel such as hottubs, big-screen TVs, fireplaces, DVD players, and deluxe accommodations in private staterooms.
- Very affordable prices for the economy houseboats whereas luxury accommodations can be had for a few thousand dollars.
- Houseboats accommodate from 4 to 15 or more people, so it's very common to split the cost of a houseboat vacation up between multiple families or groups.
[edit] Houseboating Lakes
Lake Powell is a massive primordial red-rock canyon filled with bright blue water and endless sandstone scenery. Houseboating on Lake Powell is an extremely popular vacation option for good reason: the imposing Glen Canyon Dam impounds water from the Colorado River to form almost 2000 miles of shoreline which is more than the entire West Coast of the United States. Lake Powell also has some of the United States' finest fishing for bass, bluegill, green sunfish, walleye, black crappie, northern pike, and catfish.
Lake Mead is the largest man-made lake in North America. Its sandy shores and welcoming blue hues are perfectly suited to houseboaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers, and roadside sightseers. Located 30 minutes from Las Vegas, Lake Mead is convenient and accessible by air.
Lake Shasta is located in the mountains just outside of Redding, California, Lake Shasta presents a scene of clear water surrounded by mountain slopes filled with lush California foliage. This serpentine lake has hundreds of coves and byways to explore.
Lake Cumberland is the vacation destination for millions of visitors every year. Because of the warm weather and relatively long season, visitors have numerous activities to choose from including houseboating, camping, fishing, canoeing, hiking, and others.
Lake Amistad sits on the United States-Mexico border and with over 800 miles of cliffs and sandy beaches to explore you could visit many times and never see it all. Lake Amistad is an oasis of color in the south Texas desert.
Trinity Lake is 20 miles west of Lake Shasta. This lesser known yet equally striking lake has secluded coves and beaches which make great bases for exploration and fishing opportunities abound.
Lake Mohave's expansive location caters to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen. Three of America's four desert ecosystems—the Mohave, the Great Basin, and the Sonoran Deserts—meet in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. As a result, this seemingly barren area contains a surprising variety of plants and animals, some of which may be found nowhere else in the world.
