Houseboat platforms and floating cabins on Pontoonz pods
The first Pontoonz was a cedar-clad garden shed on an 8.1m twin hull in 2003. It's still afloat. Build the houseboat, floating cabin, office or weekender you've been thinking about, yourself or through your builder.
- SailGP Marker Boats Since 2018
- America's Cup 2017 & 2024
- Designed & Made in New Zealand
- Marine-Grade UV-Stabilised Polyethylene
- 5,000+ Pods Sold
- Supplied to Antarctica
- NZ Navy Target Platform
A garden shed, two hulls and a 9.9hp outboard
Two hulls of six Main Boat Pods, a Bow Pod on the front of each, timber runners and a deck, and a cedar-clad kitset shed on top. 8.1 metres long, pushed along by a 9.9hp four-stroke high-thrust outboard. Built in 2003 to potter around the estuary with family and friends. It's still afloat.
- 12 Main Boat Pods + 2 Bow Pods
- Timber runners and joists, drilled and bolted to the pods
- No fibreglass, no welding, no marine trade
Twin hull or tri hull
Both start from the same Main Boat Pods. Pick the hull count for your width, cabin weight and how much water you want to carry.
8.1m twin-hull platform
12 Main Boat Pods + 2 Bow Pods. The original Pontoonz layout. Suits cabins, weekenders and floating offices up to about 3.5m wide.
8.1m tri-hull platform
18 Main Boat Pods + 3 Bow Pods. The middle hull doubles as fresh, grey and black water storage, at 350 litres per pod.
AU$ prices are indicative. Freight is quoted to your address or nearest port. Volume breaks apply from 10 pods.
Pontoonz supplies the platform. Your builder does the cabin.
Many houseboats are built this way: we size and supply the pods, your builder fixes the deck and builds the cabin on top. For Australian projects, we quote the platform landed at your port so your builder can start as soon as it arrives.
A floating house, cabin or tiny home on water
A tiny house on pods is the same build as a houseboat without the outboard. The platform carries the cabin, the deck and the people; the tri-hull layout adds water and waste storage below deck. Size the platform to the cabin's weight with the calculator, then send us the plans.
- Floating cabins, studios, offices and weekenders
- Add pods later if the cabin grows
- No antifoul, 15+ year pod life
What to check before you build
New Zealand
Mooring a houseboat usually needs a mooring or coastal permit from your regional council, and a cabin used as a dwelling may need a building consent from the district council. Rules vary by region and waterway, so talk to your councils early and before you order.
Australia
Houseboats are registered and regulated by each state's maritime authority, and some waterways have their own rules for size, sewage holding and mooring. Check with the authority in your state before you build. We're happy to supply pod specifications for your application.
How many pods does your houseboat need?
Enter your deck size and the load it has to carry, including the cabin.
Estimates assume half immersion and an even load. Every configuration is checked by Pontoonz before a quote is sent.
Houseboats built on Pontoonz pods
Do I need boat-building skills?
No. The pods bolt together using the moulded tie-off points, and the deck is timber runners and joists, drilled and bolted straight onto the pods. If you can build a deck, you can build a Pontoonz.
Can I put a motor on it?
Yes. The 8.1m cedar-clad houseboat runs a 9.9hp four-stroke high-thrust outboard on Main Boat Pods with Bow Pods.
Where does the water and waste go?
On a tri-hull platform the middle hull doubles as fresh, grey and black water storage, at 350 litres per pod.
Do I need a consent?
Usually for the mooring, and sometimes for the cabin. In New Zealand talk to your regional and district councils; in Australia, your state maritime authority.
How much does a houseboat platform cost?
An 8.1m twin-hull platform starts from NZ$7,620 ex GST in pods; a tri hull from NZ$11,430. Freight is quoted to your address.
Can you supply my builder directly?
Yes. We supply the platform to you or your builder, and for Australian projects we quote it landed at your port.
Tell us about your houseboat
Every quote comes with a recommended configuration, volume pricing and freight to your address or nearest port.
- Configuration recommended with every quote
- Volume pricing and freight to your address
- Trading since 2003