Houseboats, just like any other vessel or house are as safe as you make them. If you don’t take proper preventative steps then your houseboat won’t be safe, however with the proper planning you can make sure it’s safe. There are many things you can do to make your houseboat safe.

Although the purpose of a houseboat is similar to any other shelter on land — to provide us with a place to live and sleep and store our food and belongings — living aboard is a much different experience.

You will get to enjoy the benefits of living on the water. While most people enjoy boating, tubing and fishing during their vacations, these can be your usual afternoon or evening activities. There is no yard maintenance when you live on a houseboat. You won’t have to shovel the snow or mow the lawn ever again!

$50,000

When cruising at 7-10 mph, most houseboats can use 2-4 gallons of fuel per hour. This equates to a 2 to 3 MPG (miles per gallon) average. These and other factors may have a huge effect on your houseboat’s fuel economy. When cruising at 7-10 mph, most houseboats can use 2-4 gallons of fuel per hour.

All thru-hulls, except those for cockpit drains, have to be protected by closing and winterizing all seacocks and gate valves. If your boat has thru-hulls at or below the waterline that can’t be closed, it should be stored ashore for the winter. Plug your exhaust ports.

Whether you can sail a houseboat really depends on your definition of sail. If you are wondering if you can take a houseboat up and down the river or lake then the answer is yes you can. If however you are wanting to put up actual sales and cross the ocean, that is something you can’t do in a houseboat.

A houseboat is a floating house that is typically attached to a port and used as a permanent residence. Although many houseboats can move through water, they are not built to handle rough seas. Yachts, on the other hand, are built for recreational purposes, like racing and getaways.