John: Everyone loves a Boaterhome,
good times. Good energy. good fun.
Yeah, it's always good times.
270 miles from the sea on a dusty Nevada road, the last thing you'd expect to see is a boat.
But John is the proud owner of this boater home, a half boat, a half van hybrid.
John: It's really convenient. It's fun, it's unique.
It's just exactly like an RV but it floats. Its amazing.
Features of the boaterhome just besides the fact it's a boat and a van,
It's an RV. Basically it's a floating RV. With a few extra bells and whistles that I put into it.
Only 21 of these unique vehicles exist, having been built in the 80s and based on a Ford Econoline van,
this boater home has been in John's family since they were originally created.
John: I was about 10 years old when my dad called my mom and said bring the kids outside
and come see what I'm coming home in.
And so we're in the street and here comes this boaterhome come around the corner.
It was so big and it was all white at the time and I didn't know what the heck it was.
He saw it in Popular Science Magazine in the early 80s. And he's like I got to have that.
About right here's where they chop the van off.
And then the rest is fiberglass back with the seamless boat connection.
Custom swim deck, alpha drive, ladder. Underwater lighting gives a good about 35 foot
sprawl of blue or white or mixed very pretty.
So this is the boaterhome, it’s the inside.
Right here we got a kitchen counter, a stove, AC unit, conventional oven microwave,
right here's the fridge, dining table area. This goes down things pull out
and makes a bed nice comfortable for two people.
This is the bathroom and shower.
Almost probably 75% of the boaterhome is original.
I've done a little bit of work to it and made it a little bigger inside little more roomy.
But the design of what the guy laid out is pretty much original.
And then more little hangout area two couches
these fold together and make the bed. so it's, it's bigger than a king this way.
Captain chair, Helm this is where I drive. So this is my gauge. I got my fuel. My trim,
miles per hour, my stereo, my charger, train horn button.
You don't have to tow a boat with your RV and then back the boat in and do all that trailer work.
It's really a one man program. I could do it all by myself.
Nice easy never have to get wet that's a great part.
It's been all over the country with my dad.
Personally, I've taken it to California, Dumont sand dunes, Camped in it there. Lake Havasu,
Catalina Island, we’re hitting Lake Powell this year hopefully.
Incredibly, John has also come into possession of a second boater home.
John: Almost 10 years ago, I found another boaterhome online. The guy was asking almost 30 grand for it.
I'm like, Okay, let's fly down and check it out.
And this thing was not at all what he described, it should have almost been a junkyard.
so ended up picking it up for around 11 grand.
It's a big project ahead of me, but I'm excited about it.
I'm going to completely remodel it and update it and make it basically a 2020.
It’s got two mercury 275 Eldorado supercharged with shorty drives.
Got to finally test it a couple weeks ago after all those years of putting money into it.
And yeah, she's pushing 70 so this one's actually
going to have a whole another seating arena up there.
So it's going to be a double decker. So I'll be able to drive up top as well as below.
I wanted it to be a smart boat. Before I get to the launch ramp, I could on my phone, turn the AC on. Get it
all the updated technology in the 80s both.
First one's definitely my dad's it always will be and it's a family heirloom.
This one's a blank slate complete and I get to build it from the ground up.
And it's not just used as a boat, home and vehicle. It's also a unique party venue.
John: Go straight from here straight to the strip.
And then party on the strip with everyone in it like a limousine. Party rolling.
Oh my God, I don’t plan none of this I swear.
So, it's like a party bus, boat. RV.
That's amazing. Check it out.