By this time next year I am planning on living aboard a houseboat along
the Missouri River/Lakes system in either North or South Dakota. Spring
thunderstorms can be very violent in that part of the country and I
don't want a boat that will require heading to a marina every time a
storm comes through my area.

Right now I am in the prepurchase planning stages and just trying to
educate myself. I won't be buying my houseboat until early spring of
2006. What kind of safety devices should I look for in a houseboat? Are
there special grounding devices that factories install when being
built? Are there certain minimum safety standards that houseboat
manufacturers have to meet? Any suggestions from experienced
houseboaters will be appreciated.
TIA,
Dennis