"Seasteading" means to create permanent dwellings on the ocean - homesteading the high seas. Like the pioneers of old, seasteaders will be driven towards the next frontier by their adventurous spirits and desire for freedom. Building sovereign real estate will let them experiment with a variety of different social, political, legal, and economic systems, which is currently very difficult. This research into the basic elements of how societies can be organized will increase our collective wisdom and benefit everyone.

Starting your own country on the ocean may sound like a strange idea, but there have been hundreds of nation-founding groups and ventures over the past half-century, many of which were marine-based [1]. Unfortunately, the people involved tend to be at best idealistic, and at worst cranks and scam artists. Few of these ventures even got off the ground. Of those that did, almost all were impractical and failed dismally (with a tiny number of notable exceptions).

In contrast, our philosophy is to be pragmatic, focusing on realistic methods instead of visions that are inspiring but impossible. We combine proven technologies rather than trying to invent new ones. We'd rather start with something small and real than grand and imaginary. We expect most residents to be part-time at the beginning, rather than dropping their entire life to jump onboard such a speculative venture. While this common-sense approach may seem pretty obvious, it is unfortunately quite rare, which is why we think that our project has a decent chance of succeeding where so many others have failed.

Settling this new frontier requires structures designed specifically for the marine environment. We think the best design is the "birds and fish" approach. Nothing lives on the surface of the water because its too unstable. Sea creatures either live below the waves (fish), or fly above them (birds). Our seastead design is based on these two safe areas:

Well below the water's surface is a flotation hull, containing air to make the structure float and ballast to keep it stable. Well above the crests of the largest anticipated waves is a multi-level platform where the residents live. (Its lowest deck is a safety hull which can support the entire structure in an emergency, or during certain maneuvers). Connecting the two is a hollow vertical tube, called a spar. Unlike a boat, this structure is massive and has little connection to the waves, so it won't bob or sway, even in major storms.

Electricity comes from a combination of solar, wind, wave, and diesel generators. Water is provided by captured rainwater, solar distillation, and reverse osmosis. Food consists of hydroponically grown fruits and vegetables, aquaponic fish and algae, and high density gardens. Self-sufficiency will be closely related to how far the seastead expects to be from land, progressing from initial Baysteads and Coaststeads to eventual Deepseasteads.

Currently, we are completing our basic background research. Then we will finish designing the first habitable version, called Baystead, with about ten thousand square feet of area (preliminary work has been done). Using this design, we'll build a tub-sized model, then a pool-sized model, and finally the full-sized structure, which we plan to locate in the sheltered waters of the San Francisco Bay. This will let us test the technology and become familiar with it, as well as serving as a demonstration and publicity piece. Interested people can take tours to learn more about our project and technologies.

Once Baystead is built and occupied, we'll begin planning and designing the first sovereign seastead. It'll be big enough for around a hundred residents. While a few enthusiasts will sign up to live there full time, we expect most participants to buy timeshares enabling them to spend a few weeks a year on board. This will give us a much broader base of people to draw from.

When enough deposits have been made and contracts signed with residents, construction on Seastead I will begin. Once the first sovereign seastead has been built, the hardest part of the work has been done, and the movement can take off on its own steam. With an operating Seastead demonstrating that seasteading is technologically, financially, and politically feasible, interest will continue to grow. More platforms will be built and connected into larger groups.

As seacities develop, the seaconomy will grow, and seasteading can become a full-time way of life for an increasing number of people. They'll experiment with a variety of governing systems, and the most successful will be emulated. We don't expect to create the perfect society, but we do think we can achieve a significant improvement, a freer and more adaptable form of life.

You can find lots more information at seastead.org (our website), including the current draft of our research paper.