Photograph: Courtesy of Shorline Construction

Our custom building project turns to boathouses. In this, our second segment of 2007, we discuss the regulations imposed on boathouses. You may be surprised that all is not equal. Rules change depending on where you live! 
We will address the regulations from the various municipalities governing boathouses. This is a popular topic of conversation among builders given the most recent changes. 
First, let’s go back in time and look at the original boathouses in Muskoka.

History
Cottage life is so often focused on waterfront activities involving boats. It has been this way since earliest times. The boats have changed but they remain a large part of our enjoyment on the water.
Railways and steamships were the first links that provided real access to Muskoka’s lakes and made cottaging possible more than a hundred years ago. Those earliest visitors and cottagers were transported by steamer as the only practical means of travel around the larger lakes and rivers.
Roads were non-existent. Personal watercraft consisted of canoes and rowboats. Substantial wooden crib docks had to be built, most often the first order of business for any new building to be constructed. The steamboats required a place to tie up safely. Lumber, supplies and people were unloaded and picked up regularly.
Many of these early crib docks can still be seen today; simple construction using the natural resources of timber and rock so abundant around shorelines everywhere. These large square or rectangular cribs were constructed on the winter ice, sunk and filled with stone handled by men and hauled by horses then decked with sawn lumber from the mills – practical, sturdy and unchanged for more than a hundred years.
As private ownership of smaller steam yachts began, so boathouses were built on those docks to house and store them. These were by necessity, tall structures to clear the smoke stack. Ceilings were lined with tin in efforts to make them fireproof and a hole cut through the roof for the smoke and sparks to escape. This was not always successful. The hazards of steam, generated in wood fired boilers led to a number of fine boats and boathouses destroyed by fire.

Times began to change.
As steam gave way to gasoline-powered craft, some of the tall boathouses were renovated and a second floor added. The newer craft did not require the height the steam yachts did. Other boathouse lofts were no longer used as staff-quarters. Times were changing and these spaces began to be used to sleep the children and extra guests.
A tradition evolved, a mystique that endures today on the larger water bodies where these unique structures may still be built.Those beautiful wooden gasoline-powered launches, a blend of art and superb craftsmanship, also required shelter and boathouse design changed to accommodate their long, narrow and sleek forms.
The elements are not kind to wooden boats. The boathouse offered protection from the sun and rain and a place to store them lifted out of the water in the winter.
When fibreglass boats began to appear, design changes were in the works again, they were beamier and not so long. Boat slips had to be widened and shortened. Boathouses were generally smaller structures than before. 
Although fibreglass requires less maintenance than wood, it is not immune to the effects of prolonged exposure to the sun. Canvas and acrylics fare no better.

Photograph: Courtesy of Shorline Construction

Function plus pleasure
The modern boathouse continues to be as functional today as it was more than a hundred years ago. Continued prosperity, roads and automobiles opened up the lakes to many more people. Boats are still the only means of travel to island cottages but for the majority the role of boats has changed to one of strictly pleasure. 
A few steam yachts and many of the classic wood boats have been restored and are now treasured pieces of history – Luxurious newer boats are cared for by proud owners everywhere. All types of watercraft continue to play a major role in cottage activities.

Boathouses take many forms
Boathouses can be modest single slip one-storey buildings, the sole purpose of which is to keep and store the family boat, or a boat port designed to keep off the sun and rain but open on the sides.
Some boathouses are older and like the boats that are kept in them, have been lovingly restored to reflect a different age and time. While others have multi-slips with a gleaming array of boats for cruising, zipping around the lake on the personal watercraft and now specially designed boats for water-skiing, tubing and wakeboarding. Still more are two-storey with beautifully finished living space, decks and overflowing flower boxes. Stunning and unique – all of them.

Regulations
“The municipalities have put regulations into place to protect and preserve our lakes and the beauty of Muskoka,” states Brian Higgins, Cottage Country Construction.
“They want to make sure it’s not over congested,” adds Grant Watkinson, Shorline Construction.
“The township wants to know about outbuildings, lot coverage, site plans, location of septic, hydro etc.”
Confusion comes into play because regulations vary from lake to lake, municipality to municipality and lot to lot.
“It’s very important to research the municipality you are building in,” states Henning Golle, Benchmark Construction.
“The regulations for each municipality are different plus there have been substantial changes to these regulations just recently – making it a little more challenging,” he adds. 
Iris and Jim Gardiner, Chestnut Park Real Estate, created a chart to help make more clear the diversity of regulations across municipalities (see above).
Tom Campbell, Ed Campbell Construction suggests, “Check to make sure you have enough frontage and acreage for the accessory buildings. We ask the client’s priorities at the very beginning of the planning stage. The decision might be to downscale the cottage to have a two-storey garage. Perhaps a boathouse with accommodations is the priority. You rarely have all three – two-storey boathouse, big cottage and a garage.”
John Duck, Anchor Designs says, “A minor variance, or a rezoning, is sometimes possible but the municipalities are trying to clamp down on the amount of waterfront development.

Under construction, the intricate detail and craftsmanship involved in a building a boathouse with accommodations is evident. Photograph: Courtesy of GR Construction

“In Muskoka Lakes township they calculate straight line frontage,” he continues. “If your shore line happens to meander, you may be taxed based on having 220 ft. of shore, because that is literally the length of your shore line, but in terms of how the planning department interprets it, they will do what is called a straight line frontage which measures from one survey stake to the next, in a straight line.”
“The townships of Muskoka Lakes and Seguin are the only townships that permits actual living quarters in the upper floor,” states Doug Fitzmaurice, Fitzmaurice Bros. Carpentry. “The rest of the townships might allow a second floor but it’s designated as storage purposes only. 
“In some municipalities, you’re allowed to have a shower, but not a bathtub,” Fitzmaurice adds. “You’re not allowed to have a full size stove, restricted to a hot plate, bar sink, mini fridge, microwave and a dishwasher and only one limited sized bathroom.”
Gary Clark, Edenlane Homes says: “We’ve had cases where we’ve had to go to the Fisheries Department to get approvals.
“Restrictions in boathouses also include height. All of Muskoka municipalities restrict the height of boathouses.”
“As a point of interest, a map of the municipalities can be found on the District of Muskoka’s website,” states James Pitropov, Smith’s Architect. “After a zoning review, we advise the owner what they can do on the site. We then will create a customized design to match the owner’s vision within the parameters set by the municipality.”
Access to build – not always easy
“Even if the boathouse is accessible by land, you’re always going down hill,” says Higgins. “They never put lakes on top of the hills! So, you’re looking at transporting material by hand, possibly over landscaped property or bringing materials in on a barge.” 
“Often we are asked to go in and remove the old docks and prepare the site for docks and boathouse,” states John Archer, Archer’s Barging Service. “We go in with the barge and an excavator. When they’re ready to start building we will transport materials to the site as they are needed.”

Protection for boats is the main function of these elegant modern day boathouses. Photograph: Courtesy of Shorline Construction

More and more advanced
“Boathouses have become more advanced over the years,” states Greg Robinson, GR Construction. “And they’re being used more often throughout the year. Heat lines are sometimes added so the owner can use it in the wintertime.
“We feed lines for their septic and water and insulate the pump room so that in the winter all that’s needed is to flick a few switches and the boathouse is ready. This is especially useful if the cottage is seasonal and not insulated.”
Philipp Spoerndli, Nordcap Steel Docks and Homes, builds both boathouses and the dock system. He is a strong advocate of using more structural steel on the interior of the boathouse to support the second storey. 

Conclusion
“Add a barbecue on your deck and a full-size fridge downstairs and these boathouses can certainly be full efficiency units,” states Cary Cain, Casey Contracting. “We’re only allowed 650 square feet of living area and, as small as it may sound, these boathouses can be designed and decorated so that you don’t feel cramped at all.” 
“Boathouses, while small, are being treated as if they will be lived in all year round,” adds Watkinson. “They’re putting full sound systems in them, furnaces – they’re dressed to the nines!”
A boathouse began as accommodation for a boat – now the consumer looks at it as a sun deck and sport porch,” states Clark. “However, when planning, remember options do exist including a boat port or a canvas cover with metal framing. Budgets will play a big part.
Join us next issue as we start to build. We will address building materials and design options. The interior of some of the more spectacular structures will blow you away!

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