Dick Thompson of Indian Creek is a boat broker by trade, but he's built a vessel unlike any on the tributaries of Chesapeake Bay, and one unequaled in its versatility. Called a “host boat,” this u-shaped utility craft can be used as a shelter for another boat, as well as a variety of other uses.
Thompson had been thinking about the concept for some time when, in the spring of 2002, he was involved in the sale of an expensive boat.
“It was a beautifully restored Egg Harbor, and I told the buyer he should keep it sheltered in order to protect it from the elements,” Thompson said.
But the buyer explained that he lived in Lancaster County, which has banned new boathouses. That's when Thompson decided his host boat was an idea whose time had come.
“It meets all the requirements of a boat. It floats, it has boat numbers, it can be powered by an outboard engine, and it's been recognized as a boat by the state of Virginia and the United States Coast Guard. I never dreamed I'd run into trouble with this,” Thompson said.
But while other jurisdictions like Northumberland County have given Thompson's host boat a green light, Lancaster County has not. The county planning commission even amended its ordinance to read: Private Boathouse: a structure or device, floating or fixed, that encloses a boat and, in so doing, increases the profile of the boat in any amount. Placement of private boathouses is prohibited in Lancaster County.
Thompson said the placement of another boat inside the host boat does nothing to alter the profile of the hosted boat. But, he points out with a smile, he informed the Board of Supervisors that the ordinance revision effectively outlaws all boat lifts in Lancaster County.
“A boat lift absolutely alters the profile of the boat in it,” he said.
Thompson expects a few more sparring rounds with Lancaster County, but is confident he will win out in the end. In his latest counter move, he declares that Lancaster County lacks jurisdiction in the matter, as it's authority ends at the mean low water mark. The water, he says, belongs to the State of Virginia, which is perfectly fine with the host boat.
In the meantime, he's ready to start taking orders for host boats from boat owners who are looking for a low-cost, practical way to shelter their craft. Each host boat will be custom made to the owner's specifications, and prices start at under $10,000.
The host boat is buoyed by pontoon-like flotation pads, and has a U-shaped deck around the open portion of the boat, providing easy access to the sheltered boat. And if you think the host boat is simply Thompson's clever attempt to skirt Lancaster County's ban on boathouses, you would be mistaken. Thompson is clearly convinced his host boat is, first and foremost, a boat.
“It's really a great boat. You can use it as a duck blind in the fall, and keep your skiff inside it. You can use it as a swimming pool, oyster farm or sundeck. And best of all, if you ever sell your boat, you can sell the host boat right along with it,” he said.
For more information about the host boat, call Dick at 435-3413.
