  Ghetto_butterfly Member Username: Ghetto_butterfly Post Number: 607 Registered: 09-2004 Posted From: 68.60.139.186 |
I'm not asking if it exists, I know it doesn't (unless you count the legendary trailer park on the river, on the far east side). But I was wondering if it could exist, being fortunate enough to be located on a large river and close to a lake. I watched HGTV last night, a show that featured a Houseboat Community in Seattle (and oh BTW, Detroit real estate is featured quite often on this channel). There must be many more around the country, Sausalito near San Fransisco comes to mind. To me, it would be so awesome to live in a house in the middle of water. But, can you buy "property" in a river? Would such a community be possible, feasible, viable here? Just wondering. And where could it be done? Around Belle Isle? Anywhere along the river? I know the currents are quite strong, what would be required from an engineering point of view? | ||
Gildas Member Username: Gildas Post Number: 731 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 69.216.96.174 |
The problem with living aboard up north is the winters. Ice will do a great deal of damage to fiberglass hulls. Many people down south live-aboard year around. A different set of challenges up here. One would need a marina with winter plumbing in the form of a shower house and toilet facilities. Showers on boats are a pain, all the humidity below deck can cause a nasty mold problem. Next you will need "bubblers" to keep the water from freezing under the boats and then the boats themselves are not often insulated to deal with the cold. Can it be done, sure, is is cost effective up here. I'm not sure. | ||
Fnemecek Member Username: Fnemecek Post Number: 1705 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 69.212.39.246 |
Gildas: Most of your challenges are those associated with living on a boat that you're using as a house. An actual houseboat is different. Rather than try to explain it with words, just look at these pictures. http://seattletimes.nwsource.c om/pacificnw/2001/1028/lake_un ion.html Could it be done in Detroit? Yes. The problem, though, is that Detroit's housing market - as well as its overall economy - are not strong enough to support the creation of a whole new market. | ||
Ghetto_butterfly Member Username: Ghetto_butterfly Post Number: 608 Registered: 09-2004 Posted From: 68.60.139.186 |
My thoughts exactly, Fnemecec, I wasn't talking about living on a boat docked in a marina, plenty of those around here all the way up to 52 mile rd. I know people who have done that from here to Chicago. But, as Gildas pointed out, winter probably is an issue. So, from an engieering point of view, how would the infrastructure of such a community have to be? Also, Fnemecek, I agree with your economical argument, but I meant this as a rhetorical question. | ||
Nainrouge Member Username: Nainrouge Post Number: 26 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 68.21.43.26 |
You can leave a boat docked in the marina in the winter. You just need a "bubbler" device to keep the water from freezing up against the hull. I knew a guy who lived aboard his boat (I believe it was in the nautical mile) until some idiot torched his boat. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 7 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 66.184.3.44 |
Nainrouge, when can we expect to see you running through the streets of the D to foretell the next tradgety??? | ||
Nainrouge Member Username: Nainrouge Post Number: 28 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 209.104.146.146 |
You didn't see me at the Piston's games?? | ||
Oldredfordette Member Username: Oldredfordette Post Number: 948 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 68.60.177.56 |
There used to be a decent sized group of people who lived on their boats down near Harbor Island. I don't know if it counts as a community. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 5978 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 70.236.198.22 |
That explains a bunch... | ||
Mikeydbn Member Username: Mikeydbn Post Number: 317 Registered: 04-2004 Posted From: 68.41.96.170 |
MacGyver lived in a houseboat...  | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2729 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
I had a friend who live on a houseboat at Kean's for a couple of years and loved it. Another more adventurous friend lived at the boatyard at the foot of St. Jean, where a brick factory once stood, known by all as the "Goatyard" as there used to be a goat grazing there. [I think this may be the same yard Oldredfordette is referring to.] He lived on this non operative hulk. What a view, eh?  | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1318 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.42.251.225 |
There are a few, very few, folks who live year- round on their boats in two of the marinas located along the Nautical Mile in SCS. One was an attorney who actually used his vessel both as a home and as his law office. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3959 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.171.136.201 |
We got a guy here on the Westside living in his old Divco truck. Does that count? jjaba, LOL. | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1946 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.227.12.109 |
Jjaba, With no real water on the westside, what else can you do? There are many people who live on their boats in Gibralter. Some even lived on their boats out of the water in the winter. About 10-15 years ago the Gibralter fire department was trying to stop that from happening. They thought it was a huge fire safety hazard. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2737 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
I wonder what it is like living on a house boat in Gilbraltar tonight with this weather... | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2330 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.72.57 |
Nice picture of the "7 Sisters & 2 Brothers" power station... a legendary east riverfront landmark for many decades until the 7 Sisters were demolished about 15 years ago. | ||
Treelock Member Username: Treelock Post Number: 133 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 24.192.27.161 |
Four years ago I was bartending at the Detroit Yacht Club. There was at least one young fellow there who was a year-round live-aboard. I thought that sounded pretty cool — living on Belle Isle. Could get inconvenient, however. You'd have to have some way (wheels) to get to shopping and the like. Unless you're so rich you just eat three meals a day at the club. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1601 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.238.170.50 |
I've heard of a few people living at the DYC as well. Here's an article about a whole family that lived aboard a custom built boat: http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll /article?AID=/20060623/NEWS04/ 606230446 I think the newspaper folks are reading the board for story ideas. |
