If this rig had a helicopter as part of the package, it would really be something, not that a van that swallows a huge boat and then hauls it around as if nothing was unusual about that, wasn’t enough. This unusual (did I really need to say that?) 1986 Ford Boaterhome can be found in your dreams and/or your nightmares, but if you really want to find it, it’s posted here on Facebook Marketplace in Alvarado, Texas, and they’re asking $40,000 or best offer. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Russell G. for the tip!
First things first, check the length of your garage before shelling out $40,000 for this Boaterhome. It’s a little unique to have a 28-foot-long cabin cruiser in the womb of a custom-made Ford Econoline Van-powered… something, tow vehicle, trailer, what is this thing?! A Ford 460 V8 powers this creation, and it really does work, or it did the last time it was used. Apparently, the owners and restorers were in their 70s, and this was just too much of a project for them.
Here’s a photo of it giving birth to that Sport King inboard boat, which is powered by a “Chevrolet Mercury Cruiser” engine, according to the seller’s listing. I love that someone invented this thing, and this isn’t the only one. A nice, restored one sold at Barrett-Jackson in Las Vegas for $75,900 back in 2022. You won’t even remotely touch the amount of restoration work needed on the one for sale here for the balance between $75,900 and $40,000.
Here’s a photo of the actual boat in the water, a very bad photo that was a photo of a vertical photo in a tiny format. The concept is amazing, but the thought of driving this around to launch that boat in random lakes makes my head hurt. Maybe that wasn’t the point, maybe it was just to try something different, and if that’s the case, I heartily applaud the creator of this concept.
The seller doesn’t list the mileage on the tow vehicle, the ’86 Ford Van, but says the van has less than 100 miles on it, or on the 460 engine. The steering wheel looks like 1,000,100 miles, but I’m sure that could be changed out. Add it to the list. As far as the boat interior goes, the seller lists a ton of new parts that are there for the next owner to install, including a new toilet, new microwave, fridge, lights, speakers, flooring, shower fittings, etc.
Here’s what’s behind you as you’re driving down the freeway at 41 mph in the left lane. The boat cockpit seats and steering wheel are seen there, and here in a closer view. Yes, the interior needs lots of work, as you can see. I can’t imagine a scenario where this boat’s interior isn’t tossed out, and a new interior is fitted, but maybe someone will take it on and get the mechanical bits working first (they say the boat engine ran great the last time it was used), and then concentrate on the cosmetics. Are any of you up to taking on the restoration of this Boaterhome?
Leave it to Scotty to bring us something unique and over-the-top to look at. Google it; there is actually some info “out there” about them, including data showing 21 were built. A potential buyer would need to be equally unique, and would need to possess a boatload of money to spend on its restoration.
Ha, boatload of money. Thanks, Bob! Mitchell G. tracked down this one, and at least on paper, it seems like a halfway decent idea. Jeff Bezos just blew $500,000,000 on yet another yacht ($1.37 to you or me); he could have restored this thing for less than that, maybe…
You know Bob an Scotty. Many people think Boat stands for……
Break
Out
Another
Thousand!!!
Or in this case many thousands!!!
Secondly, I would just love to see Scotty somehow pull off a drop top version of this thing!!!
It’s cool, offbeat unique and when I saw it on Fast Finds I somehow just knew Scotty would write it up. Nice job Scotty.
I wanted to post a comment including “Planes Trains & Automobiles”,
but I got nothing.
That’s easy. The new owner says to the snarky car rental lady that he just bought this, and she says “You’re f$#ked”
I got it! – “Way cooler than an Amphicar”.
Heck Angliagt, an Amphicar could be the lifeboat for this thing!!!!
That was my idea. Shorten the thing by 10 feet and stuff an Amphicar back there.
Been some wild stuff on BF… this is up there. đź‘Ť
Godzilla swap it
Actual photo of the boat in water? Wouldn’t the garage it’s in be rather flooded as well? What am I missing?
click on the words “here’s a photo of the boat in the water”, it’s a link.
Thanks, Joe!
I posted that same photo of the boat in the water that I pulled from the ad. I can see it, but maybe no one else can?
I’d like to know how this thing works does the boat slide out of the back or does the whole thing go into the water. And if it does how do you keep the van engine and interior from getting ruined. And why would you do this in the first place?
Look at the original posting in Facebook as suggested to see the boat being launched. Just a neat idea actually, though I wonder why someone would allow such an unusual and interesting and maybe even fun vehicle to deteriorate to such a degree.
Jim, the third photo shows the boat being launched off the back of the Van-hauler (you can see it beginning to be disconnected from the back of the van cab), and the first sentence of the next paragraph is a link showing the actual boat after having just been launched.
I don’t think that people realize that they can see a lot of photos if they click on the ad. Either that, or are not members of Facebook. In either case, here is a photo from the ad of the boat being launched.
And the boat, separated from the van.
Super crappy photos.
Sorry, my bad.
Cool yes, but needs a lot of work.
I’d need to float a loan in order to buy this…..
Whatever floats your boat.
It’s missing an opening panel from which an Amphicar appears James Bond style.
How would you ever get this thing around a corner with that wheelbase?
bt
This asks the age old, three-letter question..”why?” Wouldn’t it have been better to just buy a conversion van and a boat and trailer? I guess customizers gotta customize. Whatever floats their boat, so to speak. For starters, I’d be trying to figure where to park (dock?) this thing after buying it. Personally if I was the builder I’d have shortened it 10 feet and stuffed a SeaDoo back there.
I remember when these were featured in one magazine or another and thought how cool it would be. Of course, it makes no sense at all. Boat trailers were invented for a reason. Now, this looks like you’ll need $100k to bring it up to snuff.
Bring
Out
Another
Thousand
I first saw one of these in the wild ,in the beautiful Lake Country area of British Columbia .I would have sworn it was late 70’s ,but I will take the seller’s word that it was ’86 .It was on the highway ,going the other way ,but gearhead ,boat enthusiast that I am ,I knew exactly what I was looking at ,and it was a magnificent beast !
The biggest problem is the boat was ugly and kind of useless for anything but a hardtop tour boat .Most boaters want to be OUTSIDE which is why my boats are generally bowriders .
As others have said ,you could buy a state of the art 28′ Cobalt and a sport chassis to haul it for what this rig will need to make right ..
Very cool feature regrdless.
YouTube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkrLQeyWBMs
Unless you have a huge heated garage, the back half will need to be winterized. In Missouri you would have to renew the registration for the front half every 2 years, the back half every 3 years.
Now I got a headache.
needs ta stay n TX, only place to turn it around.
I like it but am a sail powered ocean guy. Dont
think the back 1/2 could make it. Lakes’n rivers
round here would need 1/2 the woods hacked
away too for the van transporter. May B pudina
triton motor ora 12v, I dont think the 460 best
suited (that’s a race motor when camed).
I guess if unique is what you seek… but seriously as a 50 year trailer boater this has got to be a bear to launch and retrieve, especially on a slick launch ramp! Thanks but no thanks
We live in a lake community. The way the launch ramp and parking area are configured it would be a nightmare to launch and recover. It’s too big for the lake anyway.
WHY?!?!?!