CC Outtake: One Odd Houseboat

There is a tiny little marina on tiny little Credit Island, in between East Moline and Hampton. Along the road to the docks, there is an ample boat boneyard. A few years ago I drove through it and there were several 1960s wooden Chris Crafts, beyond all hope of repair. Recently, I went back to see if they were still there. They were gone on this day, but I found something else interesting.

I am not sure if this is a factory-built boat. It sure is unusual though, as it appears to have a homemade second “story”. That hull design is also very different, almost a catamaran hull. I am guessing it is from the 1970s. One of the most prolific houseboat manufacturers is Gibson, but this looks nothing like one of those. There are so many boat manufacturers – far more than automakers – that it could be from some small company that built five boats and went out of business. Whatever it is, I would not want to be aboard in heavy winds!