Waterworld done right: NY Truck-a-Float as truck/boat camper
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
- Architects Matteo Pinto and Carolina Cisneros wanted to create a houseboat to live on in the summertime in New York City. The owners of Marina 59 in Far Rockaway, Queens had given them the space to build something (they paid the slip fee).
Inspired by the hundreds of used truck caps they saw for sale along the highways of New Jersey and New York, they decided to build a floating home using a cap as a prefab roof complete with windows and screens.
They built four: one for themselves, for their partners (and friends) who had inspired the project, and two extra to rent out to help pay for the adventure. Dubbing it “Truck-A-Float”, each pod has a sleeping platform with a full-size convertible sofa bed (an IKEA hack), a small closet, and a compact flip table as a very limited kitchen (coffee pot and kitchenware).
Each floating shelter is named after its truck parent: the Century Horseshoe, the GMC Diamondback, the Jeraco Barnacle, and the Jeraco Swan.
Pinto and Cisneros run the design/art firm ComboColab together and say perhaps one day they will build other truck-capped shelters on lakes, in trees, etc.
Truck-a-Float: www.truckafloat...
ComboColab: www.combocolab....
On *faircompanies: faircompanies....
It looks like the "club house" I built with my neighbors when we were 9-10 years old. Our parents made us take it apart after about a week lol.
Ok you have got it that is exactly what I was thinking. My brothers and I would build forts in the woods when we were kids and it looked like this. Do you think it is because it is near NYC? That's how they can get people to use it? You know they think this is how people who live rustic live, like this?
I agree with most of these comments. These are floating shacks, creating a floating shantytown. They are interesting from an experimental standpoint, though. Repurposing the truck campers is not a bad idea. Building a barge out of free plastic drums is creative.
Bradley Payne yeah. Just make them look nice
OutdoorsUnlimited 101 I think they could have done something better. Interesting concept...poor execution.
I agree. This is a very creative idea of a sleep away but not fo the water. Maybe on land at a camp site but not in the water.
I would use the second container for the people's use too. Like a kitchen and mini bathroom. The center would be an outdoor kitchen and garden. But both cubes would be for 1 renter.
Such ingenuity! Thank you. I now have the carwashes saving their plastic barrells so I too can build one of these great little rigs. Thank you.
Please go onto the house boat next door made from shipping containers
Yeah I thought that was way more interesting too :)
This Truck Boat is an Eyesore!
IronicallyVague if that nugget of wisdom is you best reason for living in a shit box then please build yourself a house out of a dumpster because the shipping container is still a superior structure to this truck boat house
IronicallyVague your logic of "whatever floats your boat" is the type of moral relativism that turns society into a shit box. Where is your strive for excellence? The attention to detail with this truck build is the architectural equivalent of a shantytown.
That depends on what one considers "excellent". Now, while I agree that these builds, by the look of them, should get a failing grade as a junior high student project, it is the emphasis of style over substance that is indicative of lower societal standards. These units are prioritizing functionality over form, using low-cost and recycled materials, and despite appearances, do what they're supposed to do well. I'm guessing you're something of a hothouse flower and not the type to live simply or go camping without at least a 30' camper or motor home (which I would not really consider camping, but that's another discussion).
I'd be interested to see what that shipping container house next door is like inside.
At first I didn't like the look of these but they are really well thought out and kind of sweet and re-purpose so many things. Well done!
Thanks for sharing. Great improvisation on the sniff of an oil rag. I like the sofa bed, the truck roofs and the lighting. Form should now follow function.
Love the floating gardens!
The pods are cool to. Great forms and concept.
On a side note I remember when that big wood sided houseboat was docked up at the 79th st boat basin back in the 90's.
kinda wish it was a floating eatable garden that you could reel in when you're feeling a little hungry or need some added herbs and spices, instead it's just floating wild grass that they don't even cut
Great use of truck canopies !!!
Haters gonna hate. This is a cool idea! Sure it could use more insulation an what not. But they said it was an experiment and it looks like it paid off. Totally gonna still some of these ideas! Cool video.
Very cool ideas. Very simplistic. I would be afraid to sleep during a windstorm. Too top heavy,would be great on land though. :)
This is great for shallow rivers and lakes. Like a fishing escape home.
Kirsten you should Interview their neighbors next to them you can see shipping containers...are those for living? it looks awesome!!!
They just look like kids' forts floating on the water. In the winter you would freeze your butt off! BRRR!!!!
truck caps we used our old one for a simple shed over rider mower.two tall saw horses held it up open the cap door ride in .kept the mower dry and covered cap shed was almost unseen in corner of yard between lawn shed and compost bin. easily removable no permits needed for another shed.
So they are top heavy with no ballast good luck in a hurricane, or a mild storm .
This is how we did it in the sixties. I love it. Sure it is cheap looking but considering the money spent I think they did well. The best part was the large center cockpit area. Thumbs up! My only concern is if there is a chop I think they are quite narrow light and tall and may rock way too much.
Love it, minimal and a quirky take on utility living on inland water harbours
Not gonna lie, it looks like a floating homeless camp
This feels more like they were inspired by easy money than anything. Maybe I'll throw up a scrap wood shack with a composting toilet in my backyard and put it on Air B&B for $200 a night.
They don't even HAVE a composting toilet! You have to walk up to the marina to pee in the middle of the night...smh. No thank you.
Floating chicken coops LOL
They need a good paint job + plenty of caulking & some more insulation & some screens for the bedroom windows otherwise the bugs and cold will kill you. Those are made for Florida or California but definitely not New York. I see more possibilities in my mind.
Pretty impractical and novelty but I still like the idea. I could see these becoming modular with abilities to connect to other platforms creating larger living spaces.
that convertible bed frame is genius!
Thanks for posting. Very interesting concept, well executed. Great couple too.
One mans garbage is another mans treasure. That is garbage
The simple design and linking two was a great idea. They resemble the city backdrop when lit at night.
I think those are really neat.
I'm no weatherologist but it doesn't look hurricane proof
Looncan weatherologist? You serious?
Haha no they don't.. They look comfy for Summer so long as they don't leak.
i just said i'm no weatherologist, i dabble with ufology
Looncan it's called meteorologist. Weatherologist is a word you've invented on the spot.
Why do you assume i'm speaking of meteorologists, do meteorologists study the ocean? are meteorologists experts on harbors? could a meteorologist even help Kevin Bacon when he was fighting that huge space worm in the film TREMORS. *NO*.
You're as useless as that typecast interchangeable asian guy who gets killed by the giant worm on the first half hour.
re purpose does not have to mean crappy as heck. Geez It looks like something my Grandpa would have made for his goats to live in.
Wild Smurf ROFL 🤣
Lucky goats.
Would love to see a video of the shipping container house on the concrete barge next door.
Kirsten, love following the unique stuff you find! Thx
i'd love having no sound insulation and having to walk hundreds of feet to go to the bathroom.
Extreme Makeover: Homeless Edition
Good one. LOL!
Not my style but love their creative energy
if they treat there wood with a mixture of boiled linseed oil and lacquer thinner 50 % of each mixed together and painted on any wood products on a warm day needs to be above 60 degrees. it will protect against sun and water damage.
I've been looking at a bunch of these sort of houseboat type videos lately. I've been thinking of building one as a project.
buen trabajo Mateo Y Carolina :)
I love your videos! As a planning and sustainability student I find them incredibly inspirational. I'd love to meet you or interview you...if you're ever in the Phoenix area, feel free to reach out!
I'm in the process of building a small Vardo using a truck cap for the top. It's aluminum, light, water tight, perfect for the application.
its like a DIY houseboat/pontoon boat. Id live on one, but id want to be on a lake no ware near an ocean. Maybe build some thing more substantial tho. Minimal is fine, but id want more room for tools and stuff to live more my way. This looks great for a week end not so much long term.
I didn't see Kevin Costner anywhere.
WOW............Awesome idea..I'm moving back to NY....Harbor... : )
It's different, you can add a compost toilet yourself and a mobile shower then it'd be cool, i like the kitchen pull out.
This is basically just an advertisement for their Airbnb. They don't live there.
I like the concept and the shape of the structure - personally though, I wouldn't have gone so...rustic with the finish. I'd have opted for something a bit more streamlined with better aesthetics.
I liked to see the truck camper recycled and used for a roof.
I was on the fence about these little boats until I read the comments. People who believe that they have a right to tell the occupants of a neighboring slip should LOOK LIKE are disgusting. It isn't any of your business what someone else's boat looks like. You don't have the right to demand that the boat in the dock next to you looks like the overpriced nonsense you bought. I hope two of these show up in every marina in the country. Just to make the snobs cry.
They are completely booked for 2017, lol
Noah seriously?!
yup, no joke
I'm thinking of renting out my shed in the back yard. 😂
So what, is rent like $10 a night? Any more than that, I'd foot a hotel bill.
more like $85 on their website
your channel is amazing
The keep calling that canopy a truck. Am I missing something? I know lots of homeless people in New York City that live under old canopies in alleyways.
That's my mother's neighborhood. What do they do in winter
I wouldn't even pass these off as playhouses for kids! This looks like it would be good as a homeless shelter somewhere.
While it does not looked like a finished product to me, I think the idea has potential. Maybe paint the camper shells to match the cream of the sides and awning? Paint or varnish the exposed wood? Are there any shells that might work for the loft area in a cargo container? Anything else that might?
It looks like it would be FREEZING during the winter months. I don't see any insulation.
They are floating just over what makes Winter less cold in NY. :)
@Jennifer M, they don't rent it during early spring and winter months its only for the summer.
IronicallyVague Nope. Wasn't a missed word. I know many people forced to live in campers and uncomfortable situations because of the cost of living.
So agree. I feel the fact they don't use it during the Winter and Spring should have been mentioned
Jennifer M They where looking for a summertime place in NYC
You definitely need to improve with composting toilets aboard each boat. I would NOT want to have to go up to the dock area to pee in the middle of the night, not good. Also, not built sturdy at all, or with any insulation, so how do you keep warm in winter?
I don't understand all the haters on this. this should serve as some sort of inspiration as to what can be done with cast off items people dispose of everyday, and while I agree that it is not beautiful to look at, it could possibly serve a need for someone who doesn't have the wherewithal to afford any kind of a home or houseboat and maybe has a place they could safely moor.
Ruth Presti they're charging $140 a night to stay in half of it.....
my ten year old could of built these and what the reason for floating grass
The filmer/interviewer is good. these "things," no.
I'm impress!
We see some of this stuff here in Florida...but see here you have to worry bout Gators coming on the boat. LOL. You can't use just a flat platform. It has to have at least a four foot high edge. Gators can climb fences and such.
So this is a one season home? In New York? Good luck with that.
What is the guest room a refrigerator box on a raft?
Not a winter home, you would freeze to death
I've built houses and buildings of all kinds and had 4 sail boats and I can tell you that is a dangerous setup. The Harbor master must be a basket case. Does the marina not have inclement weather? No bugs, perfect temperature etc? Built on barrels? Hope you have good insurance for your guest. Speaking of insurance, who would insure these? What if one gets loose and hits an expensive yacht? If I were the other boat owners I would demand to see an insurance policy.
"we try to recycle" shows all brand new framing floating on paint cans filled with hippie farts
My friend had a leaking pontoon on a party boat and to fix it was going to be cost a lot. I told him to have spray foam put in the pontoon, it worked. He patched the leak with rv roof tape first. With the foam it will support more weight on your floating boat camper, please test it out.
This is similar to something I might have built when I was 12, only mine wouldn't be nearly as unclassy as this.
Not my bag, but interesting. Maybe they will improve their designs and such in future projects. Definitely a summer time thing if you were to stay there. They could be experimenting with the design so they could build a better model in the future.
Waterworld done right? It's floating garbage. I love your videos but this... WTF?
I thought of Waterworld too... Not pretty at all.
Hey I am floating here!!
we call them shanty boats on the Mississippi and red river
People on shanty boats would look at one of these and shake their heads in disbelief.
Shanty boats are much more charming and useful than this garbage.
They are ready for the next Water World movie
Interesting but not practical - seasonal right? Not great for winter as I did not see insulation.
Good on them for trying something.
How much are mooring fees?
Cheers
I love this but how does do they get around building codes?
In most places the code requirements for boats are very limited compared to land based dwellings.
Robin Whitfield This just goes to prove that people should NOT be dictated to in regards to their choice of construction type in which to live. Government is a racket played like a CON-MAN on unsuspecting/naive voters. ---> Government "Its for your own safety" ---> Has been used by every tyrant since time began.
Robin Whitfield sure until people start this shjt and they will ruin it for the poor , once again
It's not stealth enough, it will attract attention from snotty crusts like you see commenting hear as well, and they will go all conservative American North Korea on everyone's asses and outlaw everything you can imagine
Did that guy just claim stealing reusable soda crates and growing marsh grass on them is "recycling"?
I would do wind & solar power for the electric
No insulation and shoddy construction. No way you could enjoy this in NYC summer heat.
This looks like its about one step away from a water world skid roe...😂
So cool
I know these guys they were in Milan, they are Venezuelans keep it up guys
Why don't they paint them? They would look better and the wood would last longer.
Very flimsy and doesnt seem it's for year round for different seasons. It's more Shack Shanty than I would like. And there is absolutely no privacy in there. The walls are practically see through. I think this is more for day trips.
I would get some returned outdoor paint and make them look colorful.
They saw the New 100 dollar bill. getting ready. 👍🙏
Hi there what are the measurements please?
As with many of these solutions, it's not generally the small simple structures that is the problem (I love these interesting ideas) What we need legislation relief and land solutions. If this was in the UK planning reg's (or boat safety certification) would have a fit looking at these boats and any land based solution for other ideas is more expensive than buying a house anyway!
. . . Something needs to be done.
It might be ok on the canals, but you'd need a friendly marina, which would be a problem. Could always go the other way around and convert a boat. elainemcnulty.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/a-walk-along-by-the-canal/car-on-canal-boat-2/
Just as much red tape on the canals. I've looked into a narrowboat as my only real option to own my own place (a good option for me to be fair) You still need a boat licence, boat safety certificate, insurance and have a surveyor to pass it's RCD/Cert if you make your own (these Truck-a-Float's would never be allowed over here) Converting a narrowboat would be problematic as your only going to make it worse.
My best idea I've had so far to modify a narrowboat would be to have an access ramp for a motorcycle on the back (need a cruiser stern for the space but doable) but alas it brings around insurance issues unless you blatantly lie about where its kept (which technically voiding your insurance)
Guess ill have to move to a 3rd world country at this rate to escape 1st world poverty . . .
Dennis Richards The UK has turned to shit very sad .
ide like to know more about matey with the shipping containers at 1.03
who knew there were country folks in New York!
Four most expensive parts of MOST houses:
1-Kitchen.
2-Foundation.
3-Roof.
4-Bathroom.
They had number 2 donated, and spent only a couple hundred bucks for used number 3s....considering it is probably the Hudson River I expect all the water surrounding them is number 4....(jk)
As an idea in frugal living in an expensive city it is very interesting as a "stepping stone" idea, but agree that it isn't beautiful and needs some finishing paint.
I wouldn't mind spending a few nights there to check it out and have a few discussions with them on certain aspects of their build and lifestyle. As for all the judge mental people being overly critical, unless you live in that Marina, what do you care if they haven't painted? Lots of people on the internet saying lots of foul things for no reason other than they are petty, rude, terrible people..... amazing how little class there is displayed in the comments of TH-cam.......
renting out, a pallet house with a van top..?!
how does tis handle winter times?!
$130 PER night!?
this is a joke, right???
New York City.
I don't understand how this shit is allowed in NYC. I live in PA and I doubt there's anywhere here that would put up with those eyesores. How do they pass any kind of inspection? I can't even put a canoe in water without it being registered. It doesn't look like they have any real building experience, they didn't even use treated lumber from what I can tell and these aren't just for personal use if they are renting them out.
With the New York heat & humidity in the summer time I don't see any air conditioning. Yikes !
#threehourtour.
ADD solar strips to the roof...purrrr fect.
......yeah they look like floating hobo shacks......nice idea but poorly implemented, they look like death traps, plastic drums, corrugated plastic siding with no structure underneath or insulation, there does not seem to be any seals on any of the panels, its on the water and there are goign to be waves and spray....... there is the rustic look and then there is throwing things together, these would be fine on a lake other sheltered small body of water but not out on a river.
At least the bugs aren't too bad in the city because the powers that be make sure to include some bug spray in our aerosol regimen.
Did anyone get flashbacks to Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn when you first saw this?