wrote:

Does anyone know what they are called, or/and
if there's a good place to see pics of such things
online?

They are called housboats. Seattle's Lake Union is lined with them on
all sides. The use of large logs for flotation is an old technique and
many of the owners are replacing logs with more modern flotation as the
logs decay.

There are "subdivisions" of these houses here in Seattle. They used to
be where the lower income folks lived but are now very upscale in price
and quality. Look at the movie, "Sleepless in Seattle" to see a more or
less typical houseboat here on the lake.

Don't know if there are any pics online but if you are really in need of
one I can take a pic or two of the log flotation houses and send you.

Rick

There are "subdivisions" of these houses here in Seattle. They used to
be where the lower income folks lived but are now very upscale in price
and quality. Look at the movie, "Sleepless in Seattle" to see a more or
less typical houseboat here on the lake.

Don't know if there are any pics online but if you are really in need of
one I can take a pic or two of the log flotation houses and send you.

Rick

Back in the 1960's, most of the houseboats in Portage Bay and Lake Union were
literally shacks built on log floats. They rented very cheaply. I have some
hazy memories of outrageous parties on houseboats around 1968, 1969.


Beginning in the early 1970's, houseboats had to connect to the city sewer
system, moorage rents started going up, and the shackiest dwellings got
displaced. These days you can spend 1/2 million or more for a Seattle
"houseboat" and own nothing but
2000 sq ft of floating building.

That "sleepless" pad is about average among the current crop of houseboats, but
it would have been the nicest one on the lake in the 60's.

There are a lot of houseboats along the river down in Portland. I think more of
them may still be on log floats.

Gould 0738 wrote:

There are a lot of houseboats along the river down in Portland. I think more of
them may still be on log floats.

The ones under the bridge at the south side of Jansen Beach are a great
remnant of the more relaxed days of houseboat dwellings. There are some
great ones there and also a couple of clusters along the Willamette.

Dinghy touring among the houseboats with out of town guests is a great
way to introduce them to Seattle's "back yard."

Rick

Dinghy touring among the houseboats with out of town guests is a great
way to introduce them to Seattle's "back yard."

Rick


Watch for more of those LU houseboats to
begin sprouting Duffy Electrics alongside.
New dealer in Seattle is a very nice guy, and with 7 kt speed limits for a
couple of miles in either direction, low speed, short range electrics make
great knock-around boats. I went out for a ride in one last week- very nice in
its own way and ideal for certain environments. Of the several boats the new
dealer has sold so far, at least a couple are to owners of LU houseboats.