
FOREST AND STREAM. 






_ VYACTITING _| 





The Houseboat Conchiglia. 
BY GEORGE PORTER FERNALD. 
SEVERAL summers of constant residence on a 
houseboat, with all the attendant home comforts, 
quite solves the problem, in my mind, of how to 
live during the hot summer months. 
This novel way of living can be made as con- 
venient as you like, with as many luxuries sur- 
rounding you as will be found in any well-ap- 
pointed flat. Fitting up one of these abodes is 
very much like arranging the interior of a small 
house or flat. Space is an important considera- 
tion. A houseboat, in fact, is an ideal combina- 
tion of house, bungalow, roof garden and ship, 
with plenty of running water. Youcan dig in your 
garden or sit on your saloon divan and catch 
fish from the open window, or breakfast under a 
spreading awning with a feast of pale yellow 
nasturtiums spilling against the green depths of 
the calm water background. A houseboat deco- 
rated with flowers is to develop the art of win- 
dow boxes to its highest perfection. 
If you are contemplating building a houseboat 
economically, secure the hull of some old-flat-bot- 
tomed boat, with all the rigging that goes with 
it, as these accessories work in to the greatest 
advantage. The hull of a gundalo (a corruption 
of the word gondola) furnished the foundation 
for the Conchiglia, and her old “conch-shell”’ 

suggested the Italian name, which have all proved 
most satisfactory. The length, within 5 or 1oft., 
providing it is large enough, can be handled as 
easily as one smaller, and oftentimes this extra 
space can be used to the utmost advantage. The 
lines of this old flat-bottomed hull were always 
graceful but rather a scarce article to find nowa- 
days. The gundaloes, with their high-pointed 
Latin wings, have been an interesting feature of 
the picturesque Piscataqua for more than two 
centuries, where they joined in one flock and 
skimmed along this shallow river carrying the 
famous Dover River birds on their backs. The 
railroads, and later the power boats, have startled 
this famous flock from its favorite haunts, and 
seldom is the warning hoot of the conch shell, 
echoing between the green hills, heard by the 
draw tender at the bridge. 
The capture of a gundalo, complete with yards, 
white-wings, ropes, poles, pump, windlass, anchor 
and endless chain, a flush deck and hatches open- 
ing below and our houseboat is well under way. 
This excellent foundation, sweet and clean, only 
stained by the pink brick dust of her last cargo, 
measured 13ft. breadth by 6o0ft. long, with 5ft. in 
the hatchway. These dimensions cannot be im- 
proved upon. Many movements were made in 
making sketches and plan, which would give a 
maximum amount of room for the minimum out- 
lay of money. 
The hull was then hauled high 
and dry on the ways, where every seam and crack 
could be well looked into, as there is no comfort 
in insecure foundations. The seams were 
crammed full of gum and the remaining space 
filled with Portland cement, then you are ready 
for the house. 
The most practical solution of the planning 
was to place a gangway straight across the cen- 
ter of the boat, cutting her house in two equal 
parts. Here are steps at either side for embark- 
ing, weather permitting, stairs to the roof, a cool 
place under for the ice-box and a corner amid- 
ships for the pump, with doors opening to the 
staterooms and saloon. 
This last room, I2xIoft., with 7ft. 3in. head 
room, is a very generous size, as-it should be 
when the space is required for a dining room, 
sitting room, music, living room and bedroom. 
Added to this is a 5ft. overhang at the bow, 
which furnishes the saloon with a piazza, close 
to the water’s surface. Here, under a spreading 
awning, we have our morning coffee, or choose 
a corresponding piazza on the stern, if the wind 
is annoying. Sliding door and windows are easy 
to handle and quite out of the way. Our win- 
dows are placed high on the walls for a circula- 
tion of air at the top of the rooms, and also for 
the seclusion and wall space they afford. 
On the floor is a large Japanese cotton rug, at 
one side, in the central space, is a double iron 



Serves 
GALLEY 
7-O°xR0" 
| po DP ALTER OOM 
+) BuREAu 112-0'*KX 4-6 
, 
@e g-—- 
THE HOUSEBOAT CONCHIGLIA——OUTBOARD PROFILE AND CABIN PLAN——DESIGNED AND OWNED 
}t eons! 

TOD See Ler VA TION 
—_—S— SSS 
Gubetiaesos 6 to 
STATRROOMS 
9-0" x +-6 
RRANKLIAS 
STOVE 
| BUREAD + 
Sere Sea P| 
\ 

Drew PLAN 
FT. 
Ome Tes +9 Fr 4 
i aa | 
eas RozeD ! 


J 
jx. SALOON 
‘y 12-0" 19-0" 
v 
crrrtrr rs 
BY GEORGE PORTER FERNALD. 
