DIY Boathouse
What is a Boathouse?
Defined as a structure near the shoreline or built on top of water.
Originated from Scandinavia, the term is know as a “naust” dated back to 1882.
Gentle lulling of the sea, once again you beckon me. Caressing waves upon the shore, transporting me to years of yore.
Our old weathered boathouse will be transformed into two spaces. One third of the space will be closed in and we will call this our “tackle room” and the other two thirds will be transformed into an open living space with ample seating to take in the bay views. I envision a place to relax while watching Kevin casting his fishing line from his new dock and maybe catch a fish or two. Enjoying a glass of wine and watching the sunset on the water. A place to hang with family and watch the kids jet ski around the bay. Our new BH will be the center of attention along the bay and she deserves it:)
The tackle room will hold fishing gear, paddle boards and other water equipment. I have so many ideas and I am very excited to work on this project with Kevin. Kevin will do the majority of the renovation since I normally handle the design and he handles the build:) As a married couple of 35 years and 15 projects, we have both learned there are days we work well together and other times we bite our tongues and try to get through it LOL
So here we are at the beginning of 2023. A new year and a new DYI project to keep us busy into early summer. OMG…The boathouse NEEDS SO MUCH WORK but we will bring her back to life just like Phase One. The existing floor has to be removed to reach the old foundation. New support beams and concrete piles will be added so the structure is solid before we add new flooring and walls. When we had our bulkhead replaced, the crew added helical piles and additional joists below the boat house. This also will keep the building secure on the new foundation. We will remove old shingles, replace new sheet plywood where needed and add new shingles. New electrical, new siding, soffit, fascia and lighting will be added to the building. The original ceiling beams will be saved and we will add shiplap to the ceiling to create a nautical charm. Kevin and I will bring some of the exterior design and finishing from Phase One & Two to compliment the BH renovation.
Snail slow is the word for this DIY. The BH is a “weekend only” project since we have to utilize our time for other commitments. It has been very interesting to watch the BH be dismantled and prepped for framing. Kevin ran into a few issues while removing the old floorboards, a few rotten posts and half of the exterior railings. The BH had shifted and was leaning since the bulkhead was completed. It’s not an easy task taking a floor jack to straighten out the exterior corners and align prior to new framing. We both had to take a few days to draft up a new plan of action. The new plan is to work on the tackle room first. The BH desperately needs support before the building falls over LOL new treated posts, new flooring, 2×4 stud walls and with exterior treated plywood for the tackle room. We are adding a window and exterior door to the tackle room.
Summer of 2024 was a very busy year wrapping up some final projects around the property. I need to recoup and now catch my breath. 2025 is my year to complete the projects that have been sitting idling to get done LOL there is nothing worse than uncompleted projects!! The boat house is another one of those projects which requires a few more touches to make me smile:) we did completed 90% of the BH build. The transformation is incredibly beautiful. To save this old building took months of getting to the foundation and basically “rebuild” the structural support before we could add the walls and new roof! here is a peek of our progress….
Our beloved new Boat House! The BH is positioned at the end of our bulkhead. it took a village to save her but worth every agonizing minute getting her there. The back of the BH will have a very large deck with an outdoor shower. The deck will also lead to my husbands new tackle room! The deck will have ample space to store a kayak or other water equipment. The hill will need to be excavated back and add retaining walls to support the soil and sand. I will need to talk my landscaper into designing and building a few raised beds for a garden. Perfect spot with southern exposure and humidity ..maybe add a few drip lines so I don’t have to run down the hill to water everyday LOL we added white trim and used the same exterior siding as we did for the garage. So easy to wash and holds up well against humidity and the sea salt. The BH is now solid to handle power washing:) 🙂
A beautiful view! Right on the water…perfect for weekend entertaining. Maybe.. watch my husband Kevin cast off the dock:) I added a grey weathered teak swing and had Kevin install nautical rope to give the swing a coastal vibe. Cushions are stain resistant. We also installed two small ropes at the back of the swing and have the swing anchored to the floor incase of high winds and storms. Added nautical lighting and a large remote control ceiling fan. The rails will weather to grey in a few years.
another view…
My favorite photo!! Beadboard ceiling, exposed oak beams. The beams are original and saved when we rebuilt the structure. There is enough space to host family, and I would like to build large seating/bench using pressure treated wood and leave it natural to weather grey. Add some cushions where the chairs are located and you have this amazing BH for those summer and fall months:) Stay tune for more photos in summer of 2025, I will make sure I add the tackle room when completed:)
