We love seeing a motorhome with a bit of a difference. For instance, we recently looked at the $2.5m RV previously owned by Will Smith, we’ve also seen the motorhome that used to be a plane, and today, we have another amazing van to share with you – the ‘Boaterhome’.
This half boat, half van hybrid is owned by John Ortileb in Nevada, who describes it as being “exactly like an RV but it floats. It’s amazing.”
Based on a Ford Econoline van, the Boaterhome is one of 21 unique models that were made in the 1980s. This particular hybrid belonged to John’s dad, who saw it in Popular Science Magazine and decided he had to have it.
Over the years, John has made some changes to it, creating a more spacious interior, but otherwise, it still has the original design.
The vehicle has an interior to match it’s eye-catching exterior. For instance, the kitchen is impressive, coming with a stove, conventional oven / microwave and a fridge, while a dining table is opposite – this can be pushed down and turned into a comfortable bed for two.
The van also has another hangout area with two couches – folding both of these out will provide a bed that’s bigger than a king size, allowing you to sleep in luxury.
However, the biggest perk that comes with the Boaterhome is, of course, the boat element. John explains: “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 and easy, I never have to get wet, that’s the great part.”
A custom swim deck, ladder and underwater lighting with a 35 foot sprawl in blue, white or mixed all ensure an enjoyable experience on the water.
At 36 feet long, his father’s Boaterhome is capable of travelling at up to 100mph on land and 40mph on water.
As if owning one wasn’t enough, John actually owns a second Boaterhome too. He says: “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 in a junkyard, so I ended up picking it up for around 11 grand.”
The plan was to remodel and update it, with the first one being more of a family heirloom that had belonged to John’s dad, the second a blank slate to build from the ground up.
Are you wondering how to get your rig ready for the new season? Then check out our guides to the best RV wax and the best RV roof cleaner – two staples of the cleaning process.
Text and images courtesy of Barcroft
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