l66 
FOREST ^ AND STREAM, 
JL 
HOUSEBOAT IDLER OUTBOARD PROFILE AND CABIN PLAN OWNED BY LAFAYETTE LAMB, ESQ. 
The House-Boat Idler^ 
Few of the men in the East who are interested 
in houseboats, reaHze to what extent this mode of Hfe 
is enjoyed in the West. It would be difficult to find 
a lake or river in the West where there is not at least 
one houseboat and in most cases several are to be 
found. The boats are of all sizes and types built to 
meet the owners' means and requirements. 
On the Rlississippi River and its tributaries there 
are great numbers of houseboats, and we have been 
fortunate enough to secure the plans of one of the 
largest and best equipped among them. The houseboat 
in question is known as Idler, a most attractive name 
by the way, for a craft of this type. She is owned by 
Mr. Lafayette Lamb, of Clinton, Iowa, who, together 
with his family and friends, make the boat their home 
for several months of the year. 
Idler was designed and built to meet the owner's 
needs, and she has proved to be a very suitable craft 
in every way. She is ii6ft. 6in long, 20ft. 6in. breadth 
and draws ift. pin. The boat has no propelling power 
of her. own, and has to be towed from place to place. 
To look at the photograph it will be seen she has 
two small stacks aft, which would lead one to think 
she had propelling power, but the port stack is the 
one used for the little boiler that makes the steam 
for the electric light plant, and also heats the boat by 
steam, drives the pump that filters the water and also 
heats the water for bath rooms and state rooms. The 
stack on the starboard side is the smoke vent from the 
kitchen stove. 
On the lower deck there is a passageway 2ft. 6m. 
wide, all around the cabin house, which enables one to 
walk entirely ar-ound the boat. There is ample deck 
room forward and aft for the handling of hawsers and 
anchors. . 
Forward is the main saloon or hvmg room, 22ft. 
long and about 14ft. wide. In this room_ there are 
fourteen windows and a double door opening on the 
forward deck. Heavy rugs. Oriental hangings and 
wide divans make this room very comfortable and at- 
tractive. 'A passageway 3ft. wide leads aft to the 
dining-room. There are three staterooms on each 
side of the passage. These staterooms are 6ft. wide 
and lift, long and are all of the same size. Each room 
is fitted with a double bed, hanging clos.et and a set 
marble basin with running water. A steam radiator 
furnishes heat in case it is needed, and the three win- 
dows in each room give ample light and ventilation. 
The dining-room, which is 12ft. long and 15ft. wide, 
is located amidships. There are three windows on 
either side, and in each corner are china and silver 
closets. Just aft of the dining-roam is a transverse 
passageway 3ft. wide. This passage enables one to 
go from one side of the boat to the other without go- 
ing forward or aft, and it also divides the owner's quar- 
ters from the kitchen, boiler room and servants' quar- 
ters. 
Extending aft from the thwartships passage is aii- 
other passageway 3ft. wide. On the port side of this 
is a bath room 6ft. square fitted with a porcelain tub, 
set marble basin and water closet, all of which have 
running water. Aft of the bath room is the boiler 
room, 6ft. wide and 14ft. long. Still further aft are 
two staterooms, one sft. by 6ft. and the other Sft. by 
8ft. . , 
On the starboard side of the passage is the staircase 
to the upper deck. Just aft is the kitchen 6ft. wide and 
lift. long. Adjoining the kitchen is the larder, 6ft. 
by 7ft. In this room there is a large refrigerator cap- 
able of holding a good supply of ice. Further aft is 
another bath room 5ft. by 6ft., fitted very much the 
same as the other. Next comes the laundry with set 
tubs and wash basin, and at the extreme end of the 
passage is a toilet room. - • 
The upper deck is i8ft. wide and is unobstructed for 
nearly Soft, of its length. This deck is entirely roofed 
over, and canvas screens protect one from rain, wind 
or the slanting rays of the sun. 
_ It is here that those on board spend much of their 
time, and the many rugs, comfortable chairs and ham- 
mocks make it an ideal loafing place. 
Four boats are carried on the davits, and when not 
in use are swung inboard and rest on chocks on the 
roof over the upper deck. 
In order to move Idler from one place to another, 
Mr. Lamb had a stern wheel steamer built, which is 
called Wanderer. She was built solely for the pur- 
pose of propelling Idler about. Wanderer's bow is 
made fast to Idler's stern, and the latter is pu.shed 
ahead. In this way the heat and smoke is avoided, 
although in some instances it is necessary to tow 
Idler instead of pushing her. 
YACHTING NEWS NOTES. 
For advertising relating to this department see pages ii and iii. 
Mr. Stanley M. Seaman has made the following 
sales: Sloop Umbrina, owned by Mr. Charles L. 
Eaton, to Mr. W. H. Childs; launch Zolfo, owned by 
Mr. F. B. Van Doorn, to Mr. Roland S. Kolb; sloop 
Ashumet, owned by Mr. Roland S. Kolb, to Mr. Edgar 
A. 111. 
X 
The steam launch Eagle has been sold through Man- 
ning's Yacht Agency by Mr. H. N. Brooks to Mr. J, 
J. Slater. * 
•IKK 
Mr. George C. Thomas is having an auxiliary yacht 
iioft. long built at Baltimore. The new boat will take 
the place of the cruising yawl Natka. 
^ 4? 
Mr. George Crouse Cook, naval architect, has asso- 
ciated himself with Captain Howard Patterson, presi- 
