If you’re the type that prefers the excitement of ongoing variety, then booking a mainstream vacation may not be for you. Among the many options from which there are to choose, houseboat vacations offer a non-stop, fun-in-the-sun experience which little else can parallel. Perhaps the biggest perk of these floating homes is that if you get tired of your surroundings, you can simply move on to another port and enjoy a new facet of your trip – which equates to a bunch of mini-vacations all within one package.
 
Houseboat Vacation Websites


• houseboatholidays.com – Based in British Columbia, these folks provide vacation packages that allow guests to explore the breathtaking scenery of the Shuswap Lake. The lake’s claim to fame is that it offers boaters the opportunity to view sights that are only visible from certain parts of this H-shaped body of water. Complete with a thunderous waterfall, majestic mountains and crystal waters, a Shuswap Lake vacation combines the excitement and serenity of a top-notch holiday on the water.

• foreverhouseboats.com – Inviting travellers to choose from a number of models and destinations, this vacation merchant also offers summer specials to those who visit the website and book during certain times of the season. Whether you’re looking for a basic model or something in the line of luxury, you’re sure to find it here. Choose from among 11 outstanding destinations, including Lake Don Pedro, Lake Mead, Lake Powell and Lake of the Ozarks.

• voyagaire.com – Explore the Minnesota wilderness from a top-of-the-line houseboat as you follow the routes of fur traders, Indians and voyageurs of old. Swimming, fishing – and a soak in the hot tub – await you when you book your vacation with this Crane Lake, Minnesota rental facility. Choose from among a wide variety of models, from basic to deluxe, and get ready to witness the astounding beauty of towering pines, perennial gardens and immaculate waters.
 
Luxury Houseboats

• waterwayrentals.com – Whether you prefer the sunny west coast of California or the tropical climes of Florida, you can enjoy your vacation in a state-of-the-art luxury Starlite Houseboat, provided by the folks at Waterway Rentals. With the ability to accommodate up to 10 people, these rentals will allow you to go cruising up and down the coastline in style. Amenities include a Bose Home Theater, two full baths, hot tub, digital depth finder, central heat and air conditioning, separate dining room, full size range, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator/ice maker, king and queen size beds, 4 sun lounges, and a built-in entertainment center, as well as nearly two dozen others.

• realadventures.com – Offering four different California locations, including Lake McClure Marinas, Shasta Lake Resorts, New Melones Lake Marina and Herman & Helen’s Marina on the Delta, these vacation packages will have you enjoying lots of local activities when you’re not on board one of the most luxurious houseboats on the west coast. These top-of-the-line vessels include amenities such as a surround sound entertainment system, hot tub, a plethora of modern appliances, heat and air conditioning systems, a richly appointed interior – and even a slide built onto the outside deck, so that swimmers can swoosh into the water at top speed. Accommodating up to 15 guests – and pets! – you’ll be able to enjoy wakeboarding, fishing and water-skiing, as well as a spacious patio for those moments when you need a bit of R&R.

 
If you don't know where to stay when you book your next vacation, consider a houseboat. For about the same price as a hotel, you can enjoy the many benefits of travel on one of these spacious vessels – including the privacy that you often have to forfeit when staying in more traditional lodgings.

By: Clinton Maxwell

Osmosis is the condition of visible blisters on a boat's hull, caused by water absorption.

The process of osmosis is the same mechanism by which plants and trees draw water up from the soil to their branches and leaves.

Main Causes of Osmosis.

Long periods afloat without lay-ups. Warm tropical waters. Freshwater tends to cause more osmosis than salty water. Resins that are coloured (including white ones) are more affected than clear resins.

The Process of Osmosis.

The GRP mouldings on the hull of a boat are not 100% watertight. Individual water molecules are so small that they can find their way into the layers of glass and resin which form the boat's hull. When molecules of water mix with chemicals inside the laminate, problems start to happen. These are chemicals such as water-soluble materials, emulsion binders for example. The water molecules can then have a chemical reaction with these substances, forming larger molecules of a new chemical, often acidic. Unlike the original small water molecules, these cannot pass through fibreglass and become trapped. This is the point at which osmosis starts.

Waterproof Fibreglass Mouldings.

GRP (glass reinforced plastic), or fibreglass hulls are comprised of thin strands of glass. On their own the glass strands are strong but flexible. When fused with resin it results in a more durable substance. Ideally the final moulding should have lots of glass and only enough resin to hold it together and seal in the glass strands, but most conventional mouldings have much more resin than this. A typical moulded GRP yacht hull will have a thin coating of a special resin called gelcoat, on its outer layer. This forms the hard outer surface of the hull. Most yacht builders mould the hulls layer by layer, allowing each layer to set before putting on the next.

The one exception to this process is vacuum bagging or resin infusion moulding. This is where dry layers of glass cloth and mat are laid in a mould, and held in place by either an inflated plastic balloon, or another close-matching mould. The resin is then drawn into the fibres by vacuum suction.

The process is more expensive, but is capable of producing very light, strong laminates with a high glass content, and most importantly, very few air bubbles.

Types of Resin.

The earliest resins were orthopthalic polyester resins, used in the 1960s. By around 1980, isopthalic polyester resins started to be used as well by some builders, as they were more water resistant. Most builders used these more expensive isopthalic resins only for the first outer coats, and then saved money by using the cheaper orthopthalic resins for the inner layers.

Doubling-up on the gelcoat layer is one method to reduce the risk of osmosis.

The latest type of resin, and the most expensive, is called vinylester, and is even more waterproof than isopthalic polyester.

Treatments for Osmosis.

1) The best option in most cases is to cut or grind open individual blisters, repeatedly wash out with hot water or steam, to remove the 'blister juice' from any blisters, dry thoroughly and fill with epoxy paste.

2) On older boats, if there are no blisters, and even if a moisture meter shows high readings, one option is to do nothing! If there are blisters but they are small, they are not likely to have any significant effect on the structural strength.

3) Go to your local 'Osmosis Treatment Centre' and have the gelcoat removed, the hull washed and dried out, and the hull recoated with epoxy. This is a costly process and therefore should only be used if all else fails.

By: Simon White