Houseboats

Floating Homes Are Not Boats, Supreme Court Rules

Floating homes that aren’t designed to actually travel across the water should not be classified as boats and don’t have to follow federal admiralty law, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week....more

Supreme Court Rules Floating Home Not a Vessel Under Federal Maritime Law

On January 15, 2013, the Supreme Court, in a majority decision with two justices dissenting, ruled that a so-called “floating home” which did not have self-propulsion and essentially consisted of a house-like plywood...more

If it Floats, it May Not be a Boat – the U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies the Definition of a Vessel

The U.S. Supreme Court settled an important conflict between the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits this week, holding a floating home, incapable of propelling itself, was not a “vessel” within the meaning of the Rules of...more