Houseboating Adventures - Issue 17 - (Page 34) The restoration meant gutting the most of the interior and rebuilding. The main structures, including the bulkheads were sound, but the gunwales and decks were rotten. Almost every time we removed paint or varnish we found hidden wet rot. We ended up replacing around 30 percent of the decking and the major cost was wood for the decks and interior, plus shipwright wages. We started by gutting the boat, removing rotten wood and replacing wood on the roof, decks and hull to make it watertight. When this was done, we rebuilt the master cabin, bathroom and fitted a new kitchen (May loves to cook). We then moved in and continued work on the rest of the interior. Problems living on the boat are minimal in our view. Typhoons can be a bit scary, especially the major ones that hit the island in the monsoon season from June to October. However, the typhoon shelter has been built to protect boats, and apart from strong and noisy wind and rain, we have not had to abandon ship for the shore. We are moored in a row, and rope up to our neighbors to maintain stability in the storm. Maintenance of a wooden boat is one of the major challenges, as the humidity, strong sun and rain do affect the varnish and wood. We take the boat into the shipyard every 6-9 months for cleaning below the waterline, antifouling, and to touch up the woodwork where needed. May is very good at caulking and varnishing, so she does the routine work before it gets in need of major repairs. Transport to and from the shore is sometimes a little erratic, depending on the time of day and weather, but we plan to buy a motorized dinghy in case of emergency. Everyday our daughter takes a sampan (water taxi) to the shore and picks up her bus to school. Many sampans ply the harbour, and some of the owners are on call day and night by cell phone! Practical issues include getting connected to shore power, fresh water and telephone. An exfisherman friend supplies ours and other houseboats with these utilities connected by undersea cables from his workshop on the shore. We also have a landline telephone cable with wireless Internet, and of course local TV. We have heard of a couple of people who have also fixed up dishes to receive satellite television! We have fitted ‘Watermark’ (renamed the boat) with marine heads (toilets) but use fresh water rather than seawater to flush, so this stops unpleasant smells. We have two Italian designed Tekmar WCs that have a triple flush system which is very efficient. The bathrooms both have domestic shower units with fibreglass shower trays to keep the bathroom floors dry. In addition, we decided to have a normal fitted kitchen designed and made in China. This includes a full domestic oven, hob and dishwasher, and is fitted into an area with non-square corners )6B@" A05("%C&5AB9&@ and sloping floor (originally designed to allow water to run off the decks). There is lots of storage and work space, so it makes cooking a pleasure. When we had the bed made, the carpenter didn’t allow for a 10 percent slope on the floor, so we end up half way down the bed by the morning! We plan to buy some Chinese recycled rustic wood furniture for the living room and study which will fit in well with the antique wooden look of the boat. We can have furniture made to measure in Macau (about one hour away by ferry) at a cheaper price than Hong Kong and includes free delivery. So if any of our readers fancy life in the East, not only are old wooden Chinese junks reasonably cheap to buy here, but moorings are sensibly priced by the government, which both encourages boat ownership by the masses, and offers an affordable and pleasant lifestyle for those who chose to make them their home. Houseboats are a realistic alternative for those of us who have no desire to live in a small apartment in the crowded and polluted city – and pay crazy rents! Obviously the warm weather here helps, along with boat-friendly government policies, natural harbours, provision for sailors and boat owners – these all make it feasible to live on the water. Very hard to go back to the land after the freedom of the seas – after all, if the neighbors are noisy we can move away in a few hours, and we don't have to put up with traffic, vandals or other land-based problems. All-in-all, a very civilized existence, and one we would recommend, despite the small problems of barnacles, typhoons and the occasional transport problem to the shore. Below: The neighborhood harbor of Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter. Right page: Handsomely complete in beautiful Burmese teak with dark blue trim, the houseboat “Watermark” is a prime example of quality restoration by a family committed to the houseboat lifestyle. It is interesting to note that the slip rental is just $200 per month. Diesel fuel is priced at $3.70 per gallon.
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