- [Reacher] Camping on the water?
Sure, why not?
Somebody thought of it, so it must be worth trying, right?
This is Reacher and here are 10 camper boats
from the early days up until now.
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- [Countdown] Number 10.
- [Reacher] In the 60s and 70s
experimentation was everywhere.
During that era, a company named
Sea Camper Industries out of Jacksonville, Florida
decided to build a camper-houseboat combination
and try their hand in this niche market.
The Sea Camper packed all of the features you'd expect
from a modern camper boat in a space measuring 24 feet long,
or 7.3 meters, with a beam of 8 feet or 2.4 meters.
The cockpit is located in the front starboard area,
while across from that is bench seating,
which can double as a sleeping area for a single person.
Behind the cockpit is a kitchen area
that includes a double-sided stainless steel sink,
a triple-burner cook top and oven, as well as
a mini fridge under one of the rear dinette seats.
There's also a fully enclosed wet bath
with a removable wall-mounted shower head.
To the rear of that is a full sized dinette area
which also converts to a sleeping area for two, if needed,
while doors both for and aft open up to small decks.
The original company was eventually sold
and went under in the mid 70s.
Fortunately, a second generation revival
of the Sea Camper was brought about in the early 2000s
by a German manufacturer.
Original pricing on this one
would have run you around $11,000.
- [Countdown] Number nine.
- This largest of the Boat-a-Home fleet comes in
with a length just under 26 feet or 7.9 meters,
and a width of almost eight feet, or 2.4 meters.
Doors at both the front and rear open
to reveal a living area capable of seating up to six people.
Forward on the starboard side is the helm of the boat.
Behind this is a dinette area
with seating for up to 3 people.
Opposite this, on the port side, is the a galley,
which includes a triple-burner cooktop and stove,
a sink and a 118 liter fridge-freezer.
Moving towards the rear, you'll find a wet bath
with a swiveling cassette toilet and stand up shower.
The rear houses a bench, which converts to a double bed.
This, along with the dinette area,
which converts to a bunk bed if needed,
provides sleeping accommodations for up to four people.
Go power is provide by a 40 horsepower outboard engine,
while the electric is covered by two 150 watt solar panels
mounted on the roof.
This one starts out with the base price
of just over $100,000.
- [Countdown] Number eight.
- [Reacher] This one is called the CaraBoat
and sometimes that simple, yet catchy name,
is all that's needed in a title.
A rear door opens up off of a small deck into a lounge area
with seating for six to seven people.
In front of that is the galley,
which has a double-well sink, a mini fridge with a freezer,
a triple-burner cooktop with a glass cover and an oven.
Opposite that you'll find an enclosed wet bath
with a swiveling cassette toilet
and a sink with a removable faucet
that doubles as a handheld shower head.
Housed in the front is another lounge area
with bench seating.
Both lounge areas convert to beds
that can sleep up to four people if needed.
Controls for the steering and engine
are located on a wall-mounted arm that folds down
underneath the cabinet when not in use.
Pricing on the the standard model is a bit over $100,000.
- [Countdown] Number seven.
- [Reacher] This entry from Japanese based Car-taka
is another example of how to make
a small space feel bigger than it actually is.
It measures in at 12.5 feet or 3.8 meters in length,
with a width just over five feet or 1.6 meters.
Large hatches at the front and rear provide entry
to an open design that includes a small sink,
a water tank and a mini fridge.
There's also a dinette area with bench seating
that converts to a sleeping area for up to three people.
This one is very similar to a model
by German company Sealander.
Minor differences aside, they could very well have been
cast from the same mold.
I'm kind of curious which one came first,
so if anyone can shed some light on that,
feel free to let me know in the comments.
Pricing on this one will run you around $21,000.
- [Countdown] Number six.
- [Reacher] This awesome looking piece of machinery
was produced by the Ship-a-Shore Corporation
from the late 60s to the early 70s.
Two pieces of thermaplastic form the body
which measures 23 feet, or seven meters long.
A sliding patio door off of the rear deck opens to the cabin
with a kitchen containing a three-burner cooktop and oven,
a large double-well sink and a 128 liter fridge-freezer.
Two dinette areas, one on each side of the boat,
can accommodate up to six people.
At the front starboard side is the helm,
with large windows all around,
providing an almost uninterrupted view.
Across from that is a lounge area with bench seating
that converts to an additional sleeping area if needed.
The roof can double as a extra area
for sunbathing or relaxing with access via ladder
and hatch at the rear.
And for those of you who consider hygiene important,
there's an onboard bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower.
The Combo Cruiser had a base price that ran around $11,000.
- [Countdown] Number five.
- [Reacher] This one, like entry number eight,
is also called the CaraBoat.
Produced in the early 70s,
it's rumored that only 64 of these were made
due to the manufacturer destroying the molds
after a failed PR launch.
What few details I could find show a rear entrance door
that opens to a lounge area with bench seating
and a small bathroom opposite that.
Moving forward, there's a kitchen area
with a triple-burner cooktop and oven,
a full-size sink and dinette seating
with a removable floor-mounted table.
The helm is located at the front port side
with the door opening to a small forward deck.
The two lounge areas could convert to sleeping quarters
for up to four people if needed.
All of this was housed in a cabin measuring
16 feet, or 4.9 meters in length
and just under seven feet, or 2.1 meters wide.
- [Countdown] Number four.
- [Reacher] This water ready anytime amphibious trailer
is perfectly sized for smaller vehicles to tow,
weighing in a little over 1600 pounds or 740 kilograms.
It measures 15 feet by 7 feet, or 4.6 meters by 2.2 meters,
with room for up to four passengers.
In addition to the large front hatch and rear sliding doors,
a pop-up roof provides natural ventilation
as well as extra head room.
The living area includes an integrated single-burner cooktop
and sink, along with bench seating on each side
and a removable table that allows it to be converted
to a sleeping area.
A small platform on the front can be used for lounging,
while the rear tailgate opens to create a deck area
with seating on each side and a mount
for a small outboard motor.
An optional solar panel can be added to the roof
to provide extra power to the 100 amp battery if needed.
Pricing on this one is currently around $17,500.
- [Countdown] Number three.
- [Reacher] This Italian-made mini yacht
seems like it shouldn't be on this list,
as it's design is mostly made for transport.
But the multiple configurations allow for it to be set up
as a vessel that has amenities like a camper boat,
so we figured it deserved a spot.
It measures 24 feet, or 7.2 meters in length,
with a width of 12 feet, or 3.5 meters.
The large rear doors slide open to reveal a living space,
housing a bathroom with a toilet and sink,
with a small kitchenette opposite that,
which includes a four-burner cooktop, sink and prep area.
Moving forward is bench seating on each side
which can be modified into single beds.
The front of the boat houses the enclosed helm.
Large panoramic windows allow
for an almost unobstructed view throughout the boat.
The rear sun deck provides space for relaxation
while also covering the single
370 horsepower water-jet engine
which can reach a top speed
of 43 miles or 69 kilometers per hour.
Current pricing for this one is around $150,000.
- [Countdown] Number two.
- [Reacher] Built in 1979, this beast of a vehicle
is considered the world's first amphibious SUV.
And unlike the other entries in this list,
this one can be driven on both land and water.
It tops out at just over seven feet or 2.1 meters tall
with a dry weight at 5,100 pounds or 2,340 kilograms.
No special setup is needed to go from land to water
as it can be driven down any standard launch ramp.
The five seater is based around the European version
or the Ford Granata and came with the option of either
a hard or soft top.
The 135 horsepower engine allowed the behemoth
to reach land speeds up to 87 miles
or 140 kilometers per hour.
Unfortunately, this one never made it
past the prototype stage and only made an appearance
at the 1979 Frankfurt Motor Show.
So what do you think?
Could you see yourself sleeping on the water
in one of these?
Let us know in the comments which one you liked the most
or if you have a favorite that didn't make the list.
- [Countdown] Number one.
- [Reacher] This one from English manufacturer
Cara Cruiser came about in the late 70s.
The vessel measures 15.5 feet, or 4.7 meters in length,
with a beam of just under seven feet or 2.1 meters.
A small deck at the stern has seats on each side
of a folding door that open into the cabin area.
Inside is an enclosed wet bath with a toilet, sink,
and handheld shower head.
Moving forward is the kitchenette,
which has a dual-burner cooktop and convection oven
along with a large sink and counter space.
Bench seating and a removable floor-mounted table
are opposite this.
The front has a lounge area with C shaped seating
which also includes the helm on the port side.
Large side and front windows provide an almost
panoramic view of the surroundings.
It has a dry weight of 11,000 pounds or 500 kilograms
and can be powered by a stern-mounted outboard engine
ranging from 7.5 to 35 horsepower.
- Hey guys, this is Cassie.
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