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Here are some of the current aquatic lifestyles from which seasteading can draw inspiration. They are a varied group, none quite like what we are imagining, but each with enough overlap to be worth studying.
A floating home is exactly what its name implies – a house built on a floating platform. Typically these structures don’t have any on-board propulsion, they consist of a home built on a hollow concrete box. There are many floating home communities in the USA, like Sausalito’s Richardson Bay FloatingHomes. Patri attended one of their annual tours, and has a report with pictures [FloatingHomesTour]. The Netherlands, a country which is 50% below sea level, also has a large number of floating homes. We were unable to find market statistics on how many floating homes there are worldwide.
This lifestyle typically start out as a clever technique for avoiding the high cost and restrictive codes of some housing markets, but inevitably the various government agencies figure out what is going on and start to enforce building codes, property taxes and the like. Eventually, the floating homes cost just as much as any other form of real estate in the area, although they remain much more picturesque.
Floating homes are designed for sheltered waters, so they don’t need to worry about big waves. You might think this makes their design unsuitable for the ocean, but we will see later that there are some circumstances where this model is appropriate. Also, while many floating homes are built in conventional fashion by companies like [IMF], there are some unique and interesting exceptions.
In his original seasteading paper, Wayne Gramlich suggested building floating homes using two-liter bottles for flotation [Gramlich1999]. This would provide a very cheap foundation, although it is suitable only for calm waters. It turns out that Rich Sowa had already used this method to build a small island off the coast of Mexico which he operates as a tourist attraction [MotherEarth2001], [Sowa].
Artist Andrea Zittel built a concrete island home called the Pocket Property, and anchored it off the coast of Denmark. She describes the experiment in an interview:
I guess when I was working in New York I found that I was mostly drawn to these very small, contained capsules that would go inside of preexisting architecture. Moving to L.A. completely changed the scale of my thinking, and I started to become much more interested in creating environments, and much more sensitized to exterior spaces. So although it’s kind of a leap, this piece really came out of the entire experience of moving back into suburbia. I started to think about how important it is, when you’re living in that kind of an area, or when you live outside of the city - your land is so important to you. When I was looking for a house, it was much more important - the plot of land, and how big it was, and how it was situated - than the actual house itself. And I’ve also been really interested in how we create these little private universes.
When I drive down the street in my neighborhood, every single person’s yard is landscaped to represent some fantasy of where they live, whether it be an alpine fantasy or a tropical fantasy or a desert fantasy. And they’re all these totally separate little universes or environments that are completely honed in. So I’ve been thinking about that a lot, and how I could actually create a design for a feasible living environment that reflects the most important things that people look for. I guess the other thing, too, that I’ve been thinking about a lot is this whole sort of capsule living, and how especially out there it’s more and more about creating your own bubble, your own capsule. You’re in your house, on your property, and then you get in your car and you drive. And I go for the drive-through; I don’t even want to get out of my car to eat or to go to the bank. Everything’s drive-through, and it makes me feel very, very safe. But I also think that there’s a certain sort of sadness to that too, a certain loss of civic life. It’s a prototype for a particular type of lifestyle. But if I were to extend that vision I would say that it’s possible that some day something like this might exist, and that people would live in these community spreads. I’ve been doing drawings of these, all lined up, almost like cars in parking lots. Almost like a suburbia floating out in the ocean, so you’re completely alone, you’re completely autonomous, but you have also this sense of community within that. [PBSZittel]
Sailboats
An ocean worthy sailboat is defintely large enough to live in. Rather than buy a house on land, some people choose to purchase a sailboat and live onboard. Thus, when you go to a marina, there is a good chance that some of the boats in there are being used as full time residences [Moeller1977]. In many US marinas, live-aboards are limited to ten percent of all berths.
When the boat owner has the time and resources, they can undock from the marina and go sailing. Indeed, with enough savings, they can live on the interest and spend all their time traveling [Hill1993].
By carefully managing energy needs and using the right mix of solar cells, trolling generators, batteries, and a backup generator, is possible for a sailboat to be completely energy self sufficient [Rose1979].
The next step, of self sufficiency for food, is much more difficult for most sailboats due to limited solar area. However, using a combination of growing small amounts of food and scavenging local seaweed it is possible to reduce the amount of food you need to buy Neumeyer1982.
While a carefully outfitted sailboat is capable of surviving months at a time on the open ocean, eventually some consumable resource will near depletion, and the sailboat will have to return to land. Also the cramped spaces and human need for social contact make most people desire periodic visits to port. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of this method in more detail later when considering designs.
In this category we also include [HouseBoats]. While they may not have sails, they are (unlike floating homes) designed to be mobile, although they are usually operated in sheltered waters so that they do not have to cope with significant waves. Most houseboats have all of the amenities of a modest sized recreational vehicle – kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, etc. They are in fact the aquatic equivalent of RV’s.
While most houseboats are used for recreational purposes, some people have moved into them on a permanent basis. For example, there is a small houseboat community called Knight’s Landing on the Sacramento River. Discovery Bay and Redwood Shores, both in Redwood City, are two more marinas where houseboats moor in the San Francisco Bay. Europe, with its large network of navigable waterways, is home to many houseboats as well.
Cruise Ships
The cruise ship industry has been growing rapidly for decades. There are a number of different companies that provide vacation packages for people to board a cruise ship for a week or two. While the budget accomodations are pretty spartan, the deluxe accomodations are luxurious. Extensive food and entertainment are provided. Many cruise ships have on-board casinos so that patrons may gamble, an example of profiting from the freedom of international waters.
While cruise ships are large, ocean-worthy vehicles that can stand some serious weather, most customers do not like rough seas. Thus, a cruise ship will typically change its itinerary to visit alternate ports of call in order to sail around or entirely avoid a bad ocean storm.
Although a cruise ship can rightfully considered to be a floating city, they are far from self-sufficient. The modern cruise ship is typically only capable of cruising for a week or two before its consumables need to be replenished. So while cruise ships support a significantly larger population than a typical sailboat, they can do so only for a limited time before they must return to port and replenish water, food, and fuel.
Cruise Condos
A new development in the cruise ship industry is the idea of full time residency onboard. While only one ship is currently operating, several more are planned. While these ships aren’t doing any innovation in government, they definitely bear watching as an example of a full-time residential lifestyle on the ocean, and we are cheering for their success.
The ResidenSea Corporation has built a $265M cruise ship with 110 residences and 88 guest suites that allows wealthy patrons to live on the ship full time as it cruises around the world ResidenSea. It began cruising in March of 2002. Their waste policies are mentioned later. All residents were required to also have residences elsewhere - these cabins could not be used as a primary residence.
Unfortunately they targeted the ultra-luxury market just as the global recession hit, and for several years had troubles selling units. In late 2003 the residents bought the ship from the operating company to run it themselves. They report that sales have been increasing (although there are still many empty units). Still, it sounds as though the original financial backers did not get good results. Given that it’s already difficult to get funding for a new type of venture which requires substantial capital, the ResidenSea result makes it even harder. Despite ResidenSea’s failure, the idea has enough merit that several more cruise ship condos are being constructed.
The Four Seasons hotel chain is building Four Seasons Ocean Residences. From the promotional material:
With Four Seasons Ocean Residences, you’ll discover extraordinary places you never might have ventured, – or never even knew existed – always with Four Seasons finesse guiding your way. Anchored nearly 250 days a year – in ports from Antwerp to Zanzibar – you’re free to spend your days exploring exotic, exciting locations. Then return to the familiar comfort of home.
On her maiden voyage, the Four Seasons will depart from the historic port of Helsinki and set forth on a two-year itinerary, painstakingly designed through in-depth research. Following the sun for optimal climates, the itinerary aligns with major world celebrations, giving you the most convenient home base for the 2012 London Olympics, Carnival in Rio and the Cannes Film Festival. Extended stays in key destinations provide you with ample time for inland excursions – whether African safaris or Antarctic penguin-watching.
After the initial two-year schedule, the itinerary will be determined in part by Four Seasons residents themselves and confirmed two years in advance.
Statistics:
Gross Tonnage: 48,600 Overall Length: 720 feet (220 metres) Number of Decks: 12 plus Sky Deck Cruising Speed: 18.5 knots Residences: 112 Owner Guest Suites: 18 Butler/Staff Suites: 11 Maximum Capacity: 550 residents Typical Capacity: 120 to 250 residents Crew: 220 Builder: Aker Yards Projected Delivery: 2010 Public Space: 70,000 ft^2 Cost: $3.7M (796 ft^2) - $39M (7,860 ft^2) per residence.
Besides permanent residences, the ship offers timeshares starting at $400K for 1 month/year for 50 years.
The “Orphalese” plans to launch in 2008. They are offering 200 permanent residences ranging from the 1,000-square-feet, 2-bedroom Pegasus Estate to the 3,700-square-feet, 5-bedroom Penthouse, which are available for full ownership. The 2-bedrooms start at $1.8 million with $30,000 in annual fees, while penthouses start at $10 million with $78,000 in annual fees.
Oil Platforms
Since an oil platform is towed into its final location, it is more like an artificial island than a boat. Oil platforms are currently quite expensive, sometimes costing as much as a billion dollars. This expense is reasonable since a single oil well can generate millions of dollars of revenue in a single day [Helvarg2001].
Since oil platforms are not permitted to move from their location, they must be designed to withstand some incredibly severe ocean weather. While they prove that it can be done, cost reduction by several orders of magnitude is required to make ocean living practical.
Islands
While not technically floating, private islands are often considered as a potential location for founding new societies. There is a substantial market for private islands [PrivateIslands], which can be found throughout the world. However, all of them are claimed by traditional jurisdictions, which have historically been loathe to part with their political control. As island real estate specialist Vladi Private Islands says:
_ There’s something special about a private island. An isolated piece of paradise, its beaches and forests yours alone to enjoy. A virtual private kingdom under the sun. While this is enough for most of us, for some, only a real kingdom (or republic, or principality, or ?) will suffice. For these folks, a private island is but a means to an end - the establishment of a new, independent country. But is such a thing really possible?
The short answer is a pretty conclusive ’ no’. Since the early 20th century, every square foot of dry land on Earth has been claimed by at least one country or another, which pretty much rules out discovering an unmapped tropical paradise, planting your flag, and setting yourself up as the local sovereign. Similarly, existing countries are more than a little reluctant to part with pieces of their national territory, no matter the financial incentives offered._
[PrivateIslands]
Sealand
The Principality of Sealand is arguably the most (perhaps the only) successful new-country project in recent history. It was founded in 1967, when Roy Bates, a pirate radio operator, moved into an abandoned WWII anti-aircraft platform called Rough’s Tower. The platform was located about 7 miles off the British coast, which was then in international waters.
Several incidents have supported the Principality’s claims of independence. Sealand fired warning shots at a nearby repair boat, who took King Roy to court over the matter. The ruling was that the tower was outside of the court’s jurisdiction. Later, some German men briefly seized the platform by force, and were captured in a helicopter raid. One was kept as a prisoner for several weeks, during which period the German government appealed to the British government for help. However, the British Foreign Office said that the tower was beyond their jurisdiction [Strauss1984, p. 132-138].
More recently, Prince Roy has retired, and Sealand was leased to a company called HavenCo for several years as a data haven. For various reasons, this venture failed.
Reader Bob Green writes:
Sean Hastings, one of the people behind Havenco, lived here in Anguilla for several years. we worked on a cryptopgraphy software project together. Although it may be true that terrorist concerns after 9/11 contributed to the shut down of HavenCo, i heard informally that other factors may have been more important: 1) not as much demand for government-free web hosting as they expected. 2) they partnered with the son of the original sealand founder and put him in charge of security. 3) the partner had all the guns and as the project hit problems, he just turfed the founders out. An interesting legal question is where do you go for contract enforcement when you are a micro-nation. Can you sign the contracts for your seasteaed in the UK/US where they are enforceable?
And reader Julian Egelstaff says:
I found your web pages while doing some reading on Freedom Ship. I noticed that you mention Sealand and Havenco on part of your site, and you mention that Havenco shut down over worries about terrorism. I read a recent presentation by one of the former principals of Havenco that suggests it had more to do with the people and organization not really being up to the task. I thought you would be interested….
Referring to Ryan Lackey’s presentation at DefCon 11.
There have been suggestions of expanding Sealand by damming off and then draining an area around it. It will be interesting to see if this upstart country can continue to maintain its independence, and whether it can turn sovereignty into business opportunities. Sealand was put up for sale in 2007, and so far has had no takers [ABCNews200708].