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Small Space Living, Houseboat Style

Calling all Portlanders! If you need a change of scenery and don't mind a serious shrinkage of your living space, this houseboat docked in the seaside town of Scapoose, Oregon, might be just the thing. The owners' conversion of a river barge into a tiny getaway looks like a labor of love, but having finished most of the work, they're now selling the boat on ebay...

 
 

Officially, it's a "cruising houseboat," which means that with a new, more powerful motor, you might even be able to take this baby for a ride on the water. The current owners have kept it docked during an extensive renovation, which seems to have involved replacing or updating almost everything on the boat.

Some details remain unfinished—certain appliances and parts are included with the sale, but not yet installed—but major renovations, aside from the motor, wouldn't be needed, unless of course you don't go in for the bold interior color scheme. We think it's kind of cute.

We also like the little tricks the owners have employed to make full use of the interior space, which is only 19 feet long and 8 feet wide. A folding table "swallows up" a set of three chairs, and the whole thing can be rolled to the side to make way for a fold-out sofa. Curtains have been hung instead of doors to increase ventilation and air flow.

Click over to the full listing on ebay to read about the renovation and see more photos of the boat. Bidding starts at $21,900, and ends this Saturday at 6pm Pacific time.

If you like houseboats, here are a few more Apartment Therapy posts to inspire you:

Look! Garden Ballroom on a Houseboat Roof
Survey: Would You Live on a Houseboat?
Kingfisher: Houseboat on the Nile
Roughing It: Houseboat Style

(Images: ebay)

Tags

inspiration, real estate, ebay, small space, houseboat

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Comments (5)

Nope. Can't do it. It was seeing the "bed" that really turned me off. Too cramped for me.

posted by tpgirl on October 27th 2009 at 11:17am
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For a weekend or vacation house, definitely!

posted by CallDoctorBison on October 27th 2009 at 11:38am
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A bit too snug for me.

posted by suzy8track on October 27th 2009 at 12:05pm
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It IS adorable but something needs to be done about the bed. I don't think that fold out foam seat thing should count as an actual place to sleep. My back hurts just looking at it which takes away from the enjoyment of the cute little boat!

posted by rma on October 27th 2009 at 12:20pm
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Careful with your geography - Scappoose is 70 miles inland.

posted by gerundgirl on October 27th 2009 at 12:24pm
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