Trend comparison: Houseboat vs. steel yacht

Up to now, the self-image of a water sports enthusiast has been that his floating vessel should have an appropriately maritime appearance. A raised bow, arm-thick rubbing strakes and traditional teak decks should make it clear to friends and casual onlookers from the outset: Here comes a ship, and whoever sits behind the wheel is a captain per se.

Recently, there seems to be a new clientele to whom such "professional arrogance" is alien. What's worse, they even like to identify themselves as "freshwater sailors" and display this from afar with their often colourfully painted rental houseboats on lakes and rivers across the country. What is not uncommon in England, France or the Netherlands now seems to be establishing itself in Germany, albeit in a slightly modified form. Charter providers in particular are experiencing increased interest in this type of water tourism. But what is behind the "houseboat trend"? We investigated the question and compared a traditional 13-metre steel boat with a houseboat of roughly the same size in charter operation.

The starting point of our multi-day trip was the Brandenburg-Plaue marina, which is also home to Brauckmann-Boote, one of the largest charter and used boat providers in the region. In addition to houseboats of the Bunbo type from Aquare-Charter, you can also hire "normal" charter boats such as our Passion Classic 12.60 Premium from Bootscharter Brandenburg.

To the boats

When we arrived on site, our first curious look was at the houseboat, a Bunbo 11.60. Although nominally around one metre shorter than its steel rival Passion 12.60, the Bunbo (bungalow boat) surprised us with its generous amount of space. In addition to the partially covered terrace measuring around 13 square metres, on which the wooden steering position is also located, the boat offers two bedrooms with conventional double beds, a "bathroom" with shower and toilet as well as the approximately 10 square metre "living and dining area" with fully equipped kitchenette including gas cooker and wood-burning stove for cosy heating.

Why the house-related terminology? Well, the Bunbo simply doesn't have that maritime flair. Sitting at the Ikea dining table and looking around, you feel more like you're in a Scandinavian holiday home than on a boat. But that is precisely what makes the "floating summerhouse" so charming. For some holidaymakers, a wood-burning stove and pine furniture seem more familiar and homely than the gimballed Wallas cooker and teak handrails on board.

If you put aside your maritime pretensions, the famous feel-good effect sets in after just a few minutes on the Bunbo. Nothing that you don't know from home or from the Ikea catalogue stands in the way of the inexperienced newcomer. The charter company's instructor and Aquare boss Günter Großmann can dispense with extensive explanations of the steering position instrumentation and the obligatory look into the bilge or on the on-board power supply panel. Thanks to its simple design, the bunbo is simply self-explanatory. What's more, life on board takes place on just one level. There are no stairs or companionways on the houseboat, which are often a problem for small children and older boaters in particular.

To ensure a balanced energy balance, only energy-saving LED lamps are used for lighting, and the 120 Ah on-board battery is permanently recharged via a solar panel, so that anchoring for several days is no problem. Speaking of anchoring: in addition to the standard anchor, the bungalow boat has two so-called anchor piles. These make it possible to position the boat exactly where you want it in shallow water up to a depth of around one metre. This means that you don't have to worry about swinging circles and boat movements at night.

Only the helm station with rev counter and depth sounder and the 20 hp Honda outboard engine quietly whirring away at the stern indicate to holidaymakers that their holiday home is also a sports boat with a WSA licence plate.

The introductory lap on the Passion 12.60 Premium is different. Even the way across the anti-slip coated bathing platform over the spacious aft deck into the wood-panelled saloon shows us: this is a charter boat as it is written in the book. The massive sliding bulkhead on the companionway, the comparatively large stainless steel steering wheel and, last but not least, the gleaming white high-gloss paintwork emphasise the nautical character of our "Jonas".

As is usual with charter boats, the layout is designed to meet the needs of two families. There is enough space for four people in two large double cabins. A wet room with shower and WC in each cabin is standard, as is the second helm station in the heated saloon, which also allows for sailing in the rain or bad weather. The open-plan galley is functionally equipped and offers sufficient working and manoeuvring space. The engine compartment is filled with a five-cylinder VW marine diesel with a full 120 hp, which accelerates the steel ship to a maximum of 11 knots. Bow and stern thrusters allow the 13-metre boat to turn on the spot if required.

The comfort features of the Passion Premium series also include a television in each cabin, microwave and a generous 100-litre refrigerator plus separate cool box. "Eating and sitting" is done either below deck in the dinette or, in fine weather, on the roofed aft deck. In short: boaters will find everything they need for a relaxed holiday cruise on the Passion 12.60 Premium.

Driving

Both boats are easy to cast off. The only difference is that while the steel boat moves almost silently when the throttle is engaged, the houseboat captain has to press the throttle a little harder. The difference in power and displacement and the comparatively small outboard propeller require more speed at the stern of the bungalow boat.

At speed, the houseboat proves to be surprisingly equal to its "steel colleague". Both when accelerating and when changing course, the aluminium catamaran follows the skipper's steering and throttle commands immediately and with surprising ease. Even the feared sideways shift due to wind or currents does not occur. At a cruising speed of around five knots, the Bunbo sails straight ahead as if pulled by an invisible string. The Bunbo captain is spared the steering corrections required by many monohulls. The tester's comment: "This thing drives better than it looks."

However, when manoeuvring in confined spaces, such as harbours, the steel Passion 12.60 has a clear advantage thanks to its bow and stern thrusters. While the bunbo can only be turned from "forwards" to "backwards" (and the rudder simultaneously applied) on the plate with powerful throttle strokes, this exercise poses no problem for the steel boat. The thumb and forefinger of one hand are enough to manoeuvre the 13-metre yacht to any suitable berth. But watch out: When travelling in reverse, the wide stern shifts to port, which is typical of shaft drives.

While the skipper on the Passion 12.60 can choose between the inside and outside steering position depending on the weather, the bunbo captain sits more or less unprotected on his semi-covered terrace. The Passion skipper has a better all-round view due to the significantly higher seating position. In addition, the Bunbo's superstructure does not allow a direct view aft. Here
the captain has to make do with lorry wing mirrors.

In terms of fuel consumption at cruising speed, both boats are on a par at around 2 l/h (Bunbo petrol, Passion diesel). However, due to the low maximum speeds permitted in most charter areas, this point only plays a subordinate role anyway.

If we summarise our direct comparative experiences, the following picture emerges: Although derided by many traditional skippers as floating "gazebos", houseboats such as the bungalow boat offer the ideal opportunity to approach the hobby of boating from a purely practical side, especially for beginners. It is unproblematic to use and, thanks to its "good-natured" handling characteristics, can be safely mastered even by inexperienced skippers.

What's more, houseboats are significantly cheaper both to buy and to charter. For example, a week on a bunbo only costs around half of a "normal" charter rate. Expressed in figures, it looks like this: A week on a bunbo will set you back around 1100 euros, while the Passion 12.60 Premium costs just under twice as much over the same period.

The steel boat naturally shows its strengths on longer trips. It can be fully utilised regardless of the weather and is the more comfortable choice, especially on open waters such as the Müritz or other larger lakes. Nobody has to fear wind and waves on this boat. Added to this is the ship-like character and the associated image. Due to the layout, the cabins of the Passion 12.60 are far apart, which favours privacy. You sleep next door to each other on the houseboat.

To cut a long story short: For beginners and occasional water tourists, a houseboat is a good way to get out on the water at a reasonable price and gain your first impressions and experience in this profession. Discerning boating holidaymakers with a taste for the maritime world will opt for a traditional charter boat - even if you have to fork out a little more.