Lakeway Houseboat rentals investing in a 'shore' thing, two additions to their fleet
Lakeway Houseboat Vacations in Mactaquac, N.B. is adding to their fleet in order to meet the demand of New Brunswickers stay-cationing this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Larry Jewett began the business after buying a used houseboat of his own, and seeing the potential.
“I got started by looking to purchase a cottage and I ran across a houseboat, so back in our farming days we had a shop so we fixed it up,” Jewett said.
The business is now in it’s 11th year at Mactaquac Marine - the marina which Jewett leases from the province in Mactaquac Provincial Park.
“I had a used houseboat and loved it, and kind of became addicted and I guess when we saw that the waterway was ideal for houseboats, that’s what put it all together," he said.
The houseboat rental business is the only one of its kind in Atlantic Canada.
“It’s basically a cottage in the water, they have everything, household appliances, hot tub on the top deck, slide down the back. Basically, they’re like a cottage,” Jewett said.
But unlike some cottages, houseboats offer the extreme privacy and isolation from other people which many have craved during the pandemic and that has been good for business for Jewett.
“We hadn’t built one in three years and we knew there was some demand there for it. The pandemic has really made it take off, so we put together to build another boat, a couple boats actually is what the plan is,” he said.
Lakeway Houseboat Vacations will be adding their seventh houseboat to the fleet this year and are planning to have their eighth in the water for next summer.
“We start from scratch and weld our own pontoons, and we do all the aluminium welding from the ground up, it’s about an eight month process,” Jewett said.
The popular summer experience had already been largely booked up for this season according to Jewett.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.