GL: Houseboats.

[David H Sorenson]

I am not an authority on houseboats. However, if one is going to do the
loop, there are far more than rivers to travel. Remember, doing the loop
requires running the length of Lake Michigan -- up to 400 miles with safe
harbors every 20 to 30 miles. Even that is a long way in high seas. Then
there is crossing the Gulf of Mexico, and even if one takes the big bend
route, there are still 70 mile runs in relatively open water. And then
there is some distance in the Atlantic off the New Jersey coast. 

We boat on Lake Superior and I have never seen a houseboat on the big
lake. In the bays and harbors yes. On the open lake no -- and there is a
reason. Houseboats and big water don't mix. Three to five foot seas are
common on the Great Lakes and it can become much much worse if one gets
caught in an unexpected blow. I'd hate to deal with even three to five in
a slow houseboat with high windage. 

Here in Duluth, MN, I tell inland boaters from the Twin Cities that it is
a different world when they go under the Aerial Lift Bridge which
separates the protected harbor from the open waters of Lake Superior.
Even on relatively calm days, there are swells that would cause a
houseboat to roll and pitch. Moreover, every house boat I have ever seen
has very little freeboard. If you have never operated on big water you
cannot appreciate that. But trust me it is a big deal -- like the
difference between staying dry and taking on water. Even on Chequamagon
Bay with its relatively sheltered waters, I have taken water right over
the top of my cruiser. Not fun. And we have three to four feet of
freeboard.

David Sorenson
Duluth, MN