5 Houseboats That Cost Almost Nothing to Live On (And 3 Floating Money Pits)

A cheap houseboat can be the cheapest home in America or the most expensive mistake in the marina. After thirty five years as a marine surveyor, I can tell you the sticker price will not show you which one you are looking at. The monthly cost will. This video starts with the three floating money pits: the old wood or plywood-deck houseboat with soft spots under the carpet, the sound hull stranded by falling lake levels, rising slip fees, and liveaboard limits, and the big aluminum custom boat bought new on a loan. Then come the five that cost almost nothing to live on: the Holiday Mansion Barracuda, the Harbor Master wide body, the River Queen, the Gibson, and a number one the whole marina snickers at.