Off-grid float cabin: retirement tiny dream home in BC wilderness
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- Опубліковано 27 лип 2024
- Margy and Wayne Lutz were camping in Coastal British Columbia when they discovered their dream home: the float cabins of Powell Lake. They're not houseboats, but "float cabins", that is, they're permanently anchored to shore.
Float cabins were first built on Powell Lake as inexpensive and portable homes for loggers and fishermen. Since then they've become regulated and the 200 float cabin owners here these days lease their water lots from the BC government for $500 per year.
The Lutz's bought their retirement home in 2001 for 35,000 Canadian dollars (about $25,000 USD, at the time), what they considered worth the risk if their experiment in off-grid living didn't workout.
A few years later they retired early from their school district jobs in Los Angeles, anxious to start living their dream, and moved into their small (420 square feet, plus a 200-square-foot sleeping loft) floating home. At the time it didn't have indoor plumbing so they hiked 4 flights of stairs up the granite cliff to an outhouse (they've since installed a composting toilet indoors).
Today, the Lutzs live completely off-the-grid. There's no water heater (they boil it on the wood stove as a luxury) and no plumbing. They hand-pump water from the lake (for washing dishes, they remove most food first and use only biodegradable soap and the water is returned to the lake).
There's no trash pickup. They compost nearly everything. For their energy uses, the Lutzs rely on solar, wind, and thermoelectric power. For heat, they rely on a wood stove (fueled mostly with driftwood) that has been rigged with an experimental thermoelectric system generating a trickle charge to their batteries.
Their buoyant home doesn't make gardening easy, but Margy has found a way to provide much of the summertime produce. In addition to a hillside potato garden, she created a floating vegetable garden.
More info on original story: faircompanies.com/videos/view/...
The Lutzs' blog: powellriverbooks.blogspot.com.es/
"Coastal British Columbia Stories" by Wayne Lutz: www.powellriverbooks.com/
On *faircompanies: faircompanies.com/videos/off-... - Навчання та стиль
Very perceptive. Margy filmed it for me. She did an amazing job of capturing so many different elements. And she was great about sending me video/photos they've taken over the past few years. I was particularly grateful for that shot of the swimming bear. After years of living in cities, this was far from my reality.
I'm moving to Powell river next month everyone says they want to do this it's scary but I'm doing it 53yrs old it's time to make my life better
We discovered Powell River when we were in our early 50s and moved here after we retired in our mid-50s. Are you thinking about living in town or elsewhere? Are you related to Margaret and Art? - Margy
Wow!! Lucky you!! Hope you love it!!
How did it work out
@@jonminnella4157 i ended up moving north Ontario ive never been happier thanks for asjung nature lajes rivers and ooen land cheap houses pricing
Wow. Can I come with? 🤭
This is one of the most interesting homes and ways of living that I have come across. What a brilliant location and home.
We thought so when we discovered it. We just knew it was for us. Now, fifteen years later we love it even more. - Margy
@The Guru of Kang Our logs were repurposed from a logging company float. My guess is they have been in the water for over thirty years, maybe more. Cedar is the preferred wood because it's naturally buoyant and water resistant. The key is to keep a portion of the log above the waterline so it can dry out. One way is to minimize weight on the cabin structure. Even so, logs begin to submerge over time. To raise them back up, we use 55-gallon food grade plastic barrels filled with air tucked underneath. Ever few years we hire a diver to go down and top them off with air. Works well and theoretically can let the logs last forever. - Margy
You should check out Freedom Cove. That place is the most interesting living spot I've ever seen.
There are many days I think that I should move out from the busyness of East coast of the US. Time will tell. Just LOVE the calm and peace and natural setting.
We moved from busy Southern California and have loved it here ever since. - Margy
I’ve watched this video about 3 times now. Whenever it pops up and I see it I enjoy their live again. Thank you for being here!😊💚☘️
Thanks for taking the time to comment. - Margy
It was the audio that gave it away and you dont normally use a tripod. Excellent subject and I really liked the concept. Wonderful job!
i guess im asking randomly but does anybody know a trick to log back into an Instagram account?
I somehow forgot my account password. I appreciate any tricks you can offer me
This is really cool. I had a friend who had a float home, in of all places, at a sea harbor, in Santa Barbara, CA. He build an A frame cabin on a platform built on oil drums.... Hooked up to cable, and water/electricity, sewer in a spot, normally used for boats.... This was in the eighties, and he had been there for twenty years. In 1983, a huge winter storm damaged the breakwater, and the boats, and the pier. And, his float house. He never rebuilt...But, it was fun while it lasted!
I love rewatching this video. You guys have such a wonderful life, simply amazing.
My life needs a reset. I'm miserable in Toronto. I think a remote cabin on the west coast is calling. Inspiring video, guys.
Stephen Brennan Thanks for the comment. Once we saw our west coast float cabin that was it. We had to figure out how to live there full time. Actually, it wasn't easy, but well worth all the effort. - Margy
I'm miserable in toronto too!
Stephen Brennan me too guys... me too :(
The west cost is indeed beautiful ( when it's not raining )
+David Pedder We do have amazing summers with just enough rain to keep the forests from drying too bad. Being on the mainland it is drier than the outside coast of Vancouver Island. - Margy
I must say this is a lifestyle to be admired. I envy you guys. Good luck to you both.
Even though I've known you for years I still found the story fascinating and admire your vision and ability to live life close to nature, and close to each other.
I'm glad you both managed to upload this for all to see! Thanks!
+gRosh08 You are welcome. Kirsten was great putting my videos together into a professional presentation. - Margy
Nicely done.
nice to see the different lifestyles, I grew up in Powell River, and while I love the place I finally moved away because of those long dreary wet winters, I admire these people for their stamina
And we came here to experience the seasons. So far the winters haven't driven us away. - Margy
Nice to see you guys are living the life and enjoying it.
Good luck to the both of you.
As a marina manager I have to mention that there are lots and lots of people living on their BOATS. Like so many retired folks you see in big motorhomes going down the highways, there are people living in boats of all sizes - mostly, sailboats. And the nice thing about a boat is, you're free to change your address at will, and move to another marina - or even a whole different country!
If I didn't have a float cabin, a liveaboard in a marina would be a close second. We do have our boats to get around the lake and an ocean boat to explore the BC coast. For us, it's the best of all worlds. - Margy
Oh man that looks like heaven on earth to me! I had the pleasure of living in a few different float houses years ago and it was some of the happiest times of my life.
Glad you got to experience it first hand. It's a bit different than a land cabin. - Margy
What a lovely video. Thank you so much for giving us a window into your extra-ordinary life. So very interesting! We are retiring in 4 years and looking into alternative living spaces. You've given me some wonderful ideas 😊
When we got close to retiring we looked a lots of options, but we just happened to find floating cabins and they looked really unique. We took a chance and it has worked out really well for us. - Margy
I love it! I hope to one day retire to an off grid cabin just like this.
I wish you had shown more of the interior.
I loved this video. It was different because it wasn't just a Sales Pitch it really described what it is like living in a floating house. You described in detail the benefits to living in a floating house.
Thank you. We really enjoy sharing what our life is like up the lake. - Margy
What an amazing and beautiful way of living. I'm incredibly envious.
Really love this float home and the simplicity of it. Just enough of modern conveniences but not over the top intrusive and unnecessary ones. I believe it probably enhances ones sense of calm and relaxation as opposed to the everyday life in 2018. Thank you for your post :-)
You are so right. We do enjoy the few conveniences we have and the ability to stay in communication via cell phone and Internet (which we installed a year ago). Life is much calmer up the lake for sure. - Margy
Absolutely amazing and such an inspiration to me. Your home is beautiful! The last bit where you were talking about being able to truly appreciate nature combined with those spectacular images really moved me... Thank you:)
Just beautiful! I am so glad someone found a way to live the life they dream of. This looks so wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
Thought I had watched this some time ago - but I would have remembered thus! Thank you, thank you - Margy and Wayne for sharing such beauty and fascinating details regarding your amazing home and natural setting:)
A stunningly beautiful environment...
Good to see this video again ! hope you are both well ! I am planning on a tiny house boat when I retire soon !you inspired me . Thanks
+GypsyGardener2 We are doing well. The summer was great, I'm a bit sad to see it go, but we really needed the rain. We have four houseboats on the lake, one small and three large, but none are being used as liveaboards. - Margy
I couldn't imagine a better home, and the placement is beautiful. Your gamble has certainly paid off big time, and with continued luck will pay additional dividends for the remainder of your lives. Thank you for sharing your lifestyle and dreams.
Now we don't even consider it was a gamble. - Margy
What a beautiful way of life. The floating garden, potatoes high up on the hill, and the separate writing room are just wonderful. You both have satisfying occupations, and plenty of wildlife to experience. In a transitionary period myself, you've given me lots to think about. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing simple and rewarding life style best wishes to you just beautiful ;)
Good to see this video !
Sand
What a beautiful area! Just stunning. Four flights of stairs to get to the little? No wonder you built the indoor toilet! Wonderful life.
And now it is required for the water lease to continue. We tore the outhouse down last summer. - Margy
Kiaora from NZ. How beautiful the setting is through the seasons! Well done guys!
I envy those who live in NZ
Brilliant best wishes to you both have a long n happy lives n thanks for posting
I really like what you guys have done out there on the lake...
My family and I lived in a Float House at Thorne Bay Alaska in the early 60's. The outdoor basket ball court was the newest addition to the school yard at that time. Waving "Hello" to Mr and Mrs Watson, I'm glad I had you for my teachers!!!
This is absolutely beautiful! Thankyou so much for sharing with us, I'd love to retire this way. Such a stunning earthcare and healthy way of living. Bravo!!
I'm jealous, what a beautiful and peaceful place to live. can I come stay a summer with you all.. lol. thanks for sharing their story Kirsten.
It's kind of funny. We get more visitors here up the lake than we did when we lived in the big city. Especially in summer when more people come to their cabins and use their boats to enjoy the water. - Margy
What a way to live with nature! Love it! Thanks for sharing!
Just awesome! I first read your book about the cabin a few years ago, and later he second book. I was over-joyed in finding your youtube completely by accident. Wow, great for you guys.
Glad you enjoyed the book. There are now thirteen in the Coastal BC Stories series written by my husband Wayne Lutz. All are available online in print and ebook formats at most booksellers. - Margy
Your float cabin is amazing.
Thank. We keep trying to improve it to make it a better place to live. - Margy
how lucky you are...very happy for you guys...
Stunning beauty, I’d love to live in an area like that
so good, living the natural dream. Quiet stillness, the way life is supposed to be! Working everyday for your sustenance, truly impressive!
Thank you. - Margy
Wonderful retirement living. Very envious!
WOW, what a beautiful place to live!
Thank you for sharing. 😊
We love the view and how it changes during the seasons. - Margy
Tali Beauty how are you today
This is my favorite tiny home. I would love to live there
Scaaary
Gosh, this is so cool. I love their life. Thanks again, Kirsten, for sharing such a great video. #respect!
Thanks. Wayne and I are glad you enjoyed the video Kirsten put together for us. - Margy
Marge and Wayne, I love your concept, certainly The Good Life" well done to you both. In Australia we don't have these kinds of beautiful and accessible settings where this concept would be as grand, and if we did knowing our government, we would not get a permit to enable us to accommodate such a set up. Tiny house concept in Australia is also twice as expensive+ and what exists is way below ingenuity and unattractive equal to poverty and or less than. God bless you both, so much work you have put into your forever home. Sublime in every way, thank you for the inspiration, encouragement in what can be possible and thank you for opening up and sharing your home for others to be inspired and the possiblities for them. A treasure to be considered.
Australia has always been a place I would like to visit. Tiny homes are even starting to be popular just outside of our small town, mainly because a housing shortage. - Margy
Such a beautiful life. My goal in life is to end up with a homestead like this one day.
It's a little short of a homestead, but has a few of the qualities like a small garden. - Margy
This is amazing, I love people like this.
Wow how neat! I would love to give this a try seem like it would entail some work but low to "NO" stress. I think I could live here and be very happy and at peace.Very nice Margy and Wayne you have a very nice home in nature, very beautiful.
Thanks. You are right, it does take some work to maintain but doing a little bit at a time makes it more than than a chore. - Margy
This short film powerfully evokes contentment.
That is the truth. - Margy
The perfect life in peace, harmony and beauty with nature.
Your so lucky. I would love to live like you. Beautiful.
one of the best location and home you have got Margy....you know its a dream come true for live in such an awesome place in the middle of whole mother nature. i would wish to come to your place on my vacation...
I love, love, love your videos on tiny homes and have been following you for a couple years now. This has been one of my favorite videos. Very warm couple. I also really appreciated the bear!
That is a totally awesome place. I'd need a net feed though. I suppose I could engineer a system to get net service to the place with a couple of antenna; one up on that cliff the other in civilization. Pretty easy to sling data that way using just plain old 802.11 networking.
But I do love that the place is completely self sufficient. And on the water. One of the best times of my life was back in the 1980's - went up to a little house on an island in the middle of a lake in New Hampshire. Had a dock and all - we spent time chasing guppies and me, I mastered the art of sleeping on the dock.
Why not just use Explorer Net?
WOW
Outstanding option to the rat race!
Thanks for sharing the details with us all.
Just really nice.
How's the fishing??
Great I'm sure.
My wife wrote many books in our A class RV in a RV park. During the week she wrote and weekends we played around at the park and in town good times.
We just too our first RV trip in a Class C to Arizona in January-February. There'll be a book about that too in the future. - Margy
My wife and I stayed in a floating off-grid, boat-access only, lake cabin on the Oregon Coast. I can certainly see the appeal. We loved it.
For people interested in this lifestyle I always recommend trying it out before buying. - Margy
wow, you guys have it made :)
Beautiful ❤️ life.
So peaceful & calm.
A fine cabin and lovely landscape. I think that garden is very creative. Cool video and potato patch.
Thanks. We just had the side boards to the raised beds replaced in the garden. After 18 years and all the watering they were rotting through. - Margy
Hi Margy ...great to see you both in video and your cabin! Love it!
Thanks. It is a very special place for us. - Margy
Well done Margy....
I HAVE SEEN POSTED AND DREAMED OF THIS VERY FLOATING CABIN FOR 5 YEARS.
Ah wow, if only, beautiful location and environment.
I was involved in logging in Sarawak. During our log harvest we have to ask our workers to stay on the raft to keep eyes on the inventory and normally we would build a simple shelter on the log raft and when the logs were sold , the shelter will be transferred to another raft. I really like your concept of putting up a nice house ont he raft in the river. what an enjoyable life you have embraced by the peaceful & clean environment, indeed excellent for retirement !
We have lots of logs towed down from around our lake. They are transferred to the ocean for the second part of their journey to Vancouver mills and for sale as raw logs. Our cabin's float was once a work platform here on the lake. Our friend bought the used float, took it apart and put it back together with fresh cable and then built the cabin. I like knowing our float logs have a long history. - Margy
@@drmargy Keep enjoy doing thing you enjoy, I really feel envious of how constructed your floating house and put it in such a nice environment. Should I say it is just perfect for a retirement life or a get away from city life , if you are a city dweller
What a beautiful place!
this place is really nice . i wish i was living their .
This is so awesome. Keep going strong , god bless.
You've thought of it all! Adorable cabin with a fantastic view from the porch.I could sit out there all day.........the bear was a little scary though.
margy im glad for you. my friend has 30 acres in colorado an has been going to court for 3 yrs to keep his cabin. right now he uses a generator and an outhouse but the city is working overtime writing new zoning laws to stop him. so sad in america
Where we live zoning law in rural areas are different than the city laws, but we still have some that have to be complied with. Fortunately being on the grid isn't one of them. - Margy
Beautiful way to live, dat would be my dream to live somewhere like dat.
reminds me me of vacation with my grandma in no grid in the philippines every summber... most cherish moments of my childhood.
I don't know how I got to your site , but as I watched a big smile came over me !!! Way to go you guys!!!!
Rock climbs right outta the cabin! wowwwweee~!
This is so awesome. I wish I had the money to do this. I imagine its a peaceful life.
When we got our cabin it was inexpensive. Because there's been a moratorium on new ones since 1998 they have gone up in value. - Margy
Love the rustic ness of tall of this, video included. Boss level these guys
We have neighbours who are very musical. You can hear them play their instruments and sing on warm summer evenings. - Margy
I can't even imagine how it would be to wake up every day with that view. Lucky people.
AL eng - We do stay at the cabin in the winter. We have the wood stove for heat and the lake does not freeze because it is so deep and because of the near sea level elevation the temperature is somewhat moderated. Our hillside patch doesn't get any bear activity, but the little critters love to eat the tender leaves. - Margy
I live in Florida and I am jealous of your peaceful lifestyle. God Bless!
4 flights of stairs - to the Out House! No wonder they remodeled!
By the time you get to the top you've already shit yourself!
Good exercise.....
Wonderful to be FREE of all that crap =) good on ya folks -be safe- also one of our dreams but at 60 yrs old both of us the chance to find a lovely spot probably would be harder today and were in central Canada so a move would be iminate. Bless you both ~
We were in our early 50s when we purchased our cabin and mid-late 50s when we were able to retire and move here full time. It helps to have a friend to help us with the heavy work required to maintain and improve the cabin as the years go by. - Margy
I am so envious. What a fantastic location. We live 4,500 ft up in the sierra Nevada (spain) fully off grid, with wonderful views but I would swop tomorrow for your floating dream. Well done.
Amazing. Drop of a hat guys!
You should keep the saw sharp,,It will run cooler and last much longer,plus you will get more done in a lot quicker time,
Thanks for the help. We have learned a lot since this video was made. - Margy
Awesome!!! this idea has rattled around in my mind for a number of years now.. these folks are living the dream in the most spectacular scenery on the planet.. sooooooooo envious..
The view is spectacular.
I am 56 and I want to build my own tiny boat home. Living on the water would be amazing.
+Debra Wolf We bought our cabin when I was 52 and moved there for 6 months of the year when I retired early at 55, and then full time three years later when we became Canadian permanent residents. It's never to late for sure. - Margy
+Margy Lutz I am retired as well. I looked at a storage shed at a home improvement store for $3200.00. It already has a loft and windows. I'm thinking I could put the shed together with a set of pontoons.
+Debra Wolf The important thing is to not put too much weight on the floats. A small set of pontoons can be tippy, so be careful that the height of the shed won't make it unsafe in a strong wind or moving on the water if there are waves. Will you keep it moored in a marina?
+Margy Lutz I'm hoping to find a place I can keep my truck parked.
"And give it about 6 rotations"
*Rotates it 14 times*
As I explained to Changing Man and Drunken Hamster below, it takes six handle turns to make one drum rotation. You can read more about it in the replies to their comments. - Margy
Really cute. I love people like this. Thinking outside the box. That's what makes the world go round..........
I stumbled across this after reading Wayne's book "Up the Lake" - amazing to have good visuals closely match my imagination after reading the book.
Wow, that's the fastest cutting Stihl I've seen in a while.
Ok i had my laugh for the day 🍺 thanks.
Damm...and I was going to chime in and mention his chain might be on backwards..
I sure would love to have a shanty boat on a river were it's warm in the winter... Just to be out there among all of Gods beauty of nature. Just too kick back toss out my fishing pole and catch our dinner... My only problem is now I'm disabled walking to get on and off the shanty boat would be a bit tuff. and now I've got vertigo and I fall backwards without any warning... So we'd have to have some very good railing around the boat so I didn't fall in the water.... LOL
Even without vertigo we have to be careful about not falling. We also take care when using equipment. We can get to town for help in our boat, but safety is the best medicine. - Margy
Love the video and I especially love the scenery you show towards the end; The brightness around the rainbow; clouds or fog; snowing etc; all beautiful from your perspective view. I always wonder how people deal with bears around as we do not have them where I live. Thank you.
We have not had to deal with bears right at our cabin. In fact, they are a much larger problem in town where there are many fruit trees and people careless with garbage. - Margy
its really nice to hear how you both enjoy being begether so much, that is so beautiful. Very nice place. So perfect. Thanks for sharing your life with us.
Absolutely beautiful, and because I love nature, and water it would be perfect for me, and people ask about the isolation, but not only are people isolated anymore in cities, but if you become comfortable with yourself you can live anywhere.
My only question is, is there room around the corner for another place? One where I wouldn't intrude on your privacy/lifestyle, but enjoy some of the same, am retiring now due to injuries from yrs. ago, but still able and knowledgeable to be able to do this, as I have background in solar/wind and offgrid living.
the sound wasn't the greatest, but Margy was a wonderful guide.
The film was taken on my small Canon digital point and shoot camera. The stills and clips were sent to Kirsten and she put it all together. I think she did a great job considering what I was able to provide. - Margy
you did a wonderful job. it was really informative and concise.
This is the coolest off grid home I have seen on UA-cam !!! Extraordinary
Just had to thank god for letting people like u live in such beautiful nature, I cant even begin to imagine what its like to be there yr round, thX for sharing,, great video!