ENCINITAS: Famed 'boat' house open for public tours

Saturday's event to be one of a kind

By BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer | Monday, March 16, 2009 5:32 PM PDT ∞

With a view down 3rd Street in Encinitas and a view of the other "boat" house from the bow porch area of the north "boat" house, contractor John Knowles, right, shows Paul Ecke, president of the Encinitas Preservation Association, some of the work he had completed. (Photo by Bill Wechter - Staff Photographer)

From the upstairs front room of the north Encinitas "boat" house, Encinitas Preservation Association president Paul Ecke gazes out the window to the other "boat" house next door and down 3rd Street in Encinitas. (Photo by Bill Wechter - Staff Photographer)

The north "boat" house, right, is having some work done in preparation for renting. Contractor John Knowles, left, talks about the work with Encinitas Preservation Association president Paul Ecke, center, and member David Agyagos. (Photo by Bill Wechter - Staff Photographer)

ENCINITAS ---- People who have long wondered whether the city's beloved "boat" houses look as nautical on the inside as they do on the outside will have a chance to find out Saturday.

For one day only, and for perhaps for the first time in the city's history, one of the two "boats" is open for public tours.

"This is a one-time opportunity," said Peder Norby, who is helping organize Saturday's open house event for the Encinitas Preservation Association. "This is something that probably won't happen again for many, many years."

Tours, which will occur from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., cost $10 per person or $20 for a family.

People won't be able to walk around the entire upper deck of the "S.S. Moonlight" during Saturday's open house because of safety issues. But they will be allowed to poke into the pantry, peer out a porthole window installed inside a shower and generally experience the feeling of living in a structure where none of the walls are at right angles and the floor seems to list to one side.

For decades, pedestrians and passing motorists have stopped to gawk at the buildings and snap photographs. From the front, the blue-and-white structures look like they've simply been hauled out on dry land for a short spell. In reality, they were never sea-worthy. They're not even real boats ---- they're rental apartments built to look like boats.

The buildings are prime examples of what's called vernacular architecture, local historians say. That architectural category includes sweet shops shaped like giant ice cream cones and Mexican fast food places in the shape of a taco.

The boathouses also have another claim to fame: They are among the earliest and best examples of recycled architecture, historical society members have said.

Miles Kellogg, an architect whose father was a sea captain, built his ship-shaped structures in the late 1920s using old timber from the Moonlight Beach dance house. That once-famous local night spot failed to survive the dry years of Prohibition.

Various renters have lived aboard the boats over the years. The historical society purchased them last year and plans to eventually turn one into a small museum, but first it has to pay down part of its purchase debt using the rental income, society President Paul Ecke said.

The society is hosting its tours Saturday because one of the ships --- the Moonlight ---- is temporarily vacant. The last bunch of renters moved out in late December, and the society is renovating the structure before re-renting it, Ecke said.

Leaky roof issues have plagued the boat building for years, and portions of the wood have rotted out, society members said. Sun Coast Restoration contractor John Knowles is handling the project, replacing each decaying board with a new matching piece. It's tough work, because nothing inside the boat is flat or level, Norby said during a tour with Knowles last week.

"It's hilarious," Knowles added.

During the open house, people will be able to view these repairs, but the new carpeting may not be in yet, Norby said.

He has two requests for Saturday's visitors. First, don't park on Third Street near the boat houses. Use the nearby Coaster station parking lot or the parking at Moonlight Beach, he said. And, second, don't disturb the occupants in the other boat house. It isn't part of the tour.

Landlubbers who fall in love with the apartment might still have a chance to move aboard because the society hasn't yet selected the new occupants. Renters must have a tolerance for lower-than average ceilings and a plumbing system that's a little on the antique side. They'll also have to put up with frequent stares from curious passers-by.

On the plus side, the beach is within walking distance, plus the "boat" features two decks, a sunlight-flooded upstairs office with windows on three sides, two bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths.

Price --- $1,950 a month. Contact (760) 436-7171.

S.S. Moonlight tours

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday

Cost: $10 per person, or $20 per family

Parking: Moonlight Beach public lot or the Coaster train station in downtown Encinitas