Float Homes 

  • In our protected harbour and bays, Float homes move with the winds and tides
  • Float homes are built on concrete hulls, or polyethylene-covered Styrofoam billets
  • Choose your own colorful paint for your customized Float home

Float homes for sale

My Float Home Listings:



Benefits of Wharf Life  

  • A unique living option as a full-time resident; a retirement or vacation home
  • A family-friendly community; an inherited community for new comers
  • An instant social life, but your neighbours respect your privacy
  • A community that gathers together for regular social events … all are invited to join in .. most do
  • A busy vibrant dock life by day; peace and quiet with privacy at night
  • A marvelous alternative to condo living Shopping is within a 15 minute walk, or short water taxi ride away
  • Tie-up a small boat or kayak next to your home, and kayak from your front door to the Gorge, shops, restaurants, entertainment...
  • a short walk for groceries
  • Constantly changing parade of boats, floatplanes, ferries and wildlife (otters, sea mink, seals, many types of birds, herons, and racoons)
  • Ringside seats for harbour events, i.e. fireworks displays; the Swiftsure annual international sailboat races; the Antique boat show; or paddle over to see Symphony Splash in the inner harbour
  • If you are a seafood lover...Well enough said!

Transportation:  

  • Bus
  • Parking for your vehicle
  • Taxi
  • Bike
  • Water taxi 

 

find our recent 'blog' on Float Homes BeLOw



Fisherman's Wharf

History:

Centuries ago, the Lekwungen people thrived by harvesting shellfish from the mud flats of a bay that eventually became known as Major Bay, following the establishment of Fort Victoria in the 1840s. Today, this historical site is occupied by Fisherman's Wharf, a bustling waterfront destination.

In 1859, Robert Laing, a shipwright from Scotland, established one of Victoria's earliest shipyards called Laing's Ways in the bay. However, the shipyard declined over time, and Major Bay became heavily overgrown for several decades. Nevertheless, the bay's calm waters became a popular spot for day-fishing boats, transient barges, and float-home dwellers. By the end of 1947, the bay transitioned from being freely accessible to the establishment of Fisherman's Wharf, the facility we see today.

Fishing gradually became a crucial aspect of Victoria's economy after World War II. To accommodate the larger fishing vessels that were becoming prevalent in the industry, the old single finger float at the foot of Johnson Street was replaced by a federally-funded facility called Fisherman's Wharf, located at the foot of Erie Street. Opened on March 31, 1948, this new wharf featured a 390-feet long main float parallel to the shore, along with six finger floats extending into the harbor at right-angles to the shore. The facility could accommodate up to 60 large fish-packing vessels.

During the early years, Fisherman's Wharf was primarily an industrial waterfront, housing hundreds of trollers until the 1990s. However, it also became a vibrant community with unique individuals and diverse characters. While fishing vessels occupied most docks, two docks at the east end were designated for "live aboard" residents. These docks were home to a community of people, including some who lived in affordable float homes built on log rafts, similar to the early BC float homes that provided housing for coastal logging workers. The wharf was known for its lively atmosphere, with colorful characters constantly coming and going, leading to occasional conflicts that kept the local police busy.

The wharf was flanked by two floating fuel barges, with Esso located at the west end and Texaco at the east end. The Texaco float even had a hamburger joint named Vinnie's Eats for a period of time. However, conflicts arose when people started experiencing electrical shocks during showers on the Texaco float, leading to the discontinuation of the showers. In response, the community collaborated to create a floating shower with its own hot water tank, available for everyone to use.

While there were only a few float homes during that era, most residents lived on various types of boats. The wharfinger, responsible for managing the wharf, often became the subject of frustration for the residents, who rarely paid their moorage fees. As a form of revenge, the wharfinger would occasionally unplug all the boats early in the morning, particularly during cold weather. Despite the challenges, the wharf continued to evolve, with the fishing fleet diminishing over time and more space being allocated to live-aboards and float homes. A new, efficient wharfinger brought order to the area and began collecting rent.

Today, Fisherman's Wharf remains a vibrant and colorful destination, although it has undergone changes compared to its earlier years. Visitors can experience the lively atmosphere, interact with the residents, and enjoy the unique charm of this waterfront community.

A close knit community known as Fisherman's Wharf Float home Village, located next to the marina and fishing boat piers *Ranked as Victoria's #3 tourist destination by Victoria News.

Attractions 

Barb’s Fish & Chips
The Fish Store & More
Jackson’s Ice Cream
Hi Gear Crab Sales
Puerto Vallarta Amigos
Moka House Coffee & Bistro
Rockn’Rolls
4 Winds Nest Boutique
Eagle Wing Whale Watching
Kelp Reef Kayaking

Services

  • Propane service to your door
  • 30 amp service
  • Hydro
  • City Water
  • City sewage

You can find further info about Fisherman's Wharf at their website here: https://gvha.ca/marinas-facilities/fishermans-wharf/

Salish Seaside RV Resort & Marina:

Located in the 'Westbay Marine Village' in Esquimalt at Victoria's inner harbour.

The foreshore where the float homes are located belongs to the crown under the jurisdiction of the Federal Department of Transport Canada. The head lease belongs to the Salish Seaside RV Resort and Marina.

Residents live right on the water just minutes from the attractions of downtown stores, restaurants and theatres. Marine Home residents enjoy the comforts and conveniences of superbly designed, leading-edge marine-homes–and all the services expected of any modern residential community.

The marina has been specifically engineered to meet all of the requirements for proper, full service Float home living. The docks are designed to provide proper spatial separation for fire safety considerations, noise attenuation and to maximize view opportunities.

Features:

  • Float home Village area has 26 Float home Marine Lots available.
  • Private, gated entrance at the access ramps ensures privacy.
  • State of the art concrete floats are minimum 8' wide in most places.
  • Minimum 100 amp. domestic power to each Marine Lot, each individually metered. Full natural gas service is provided so your hydro requirements are much reduced.
  • Full Shaw Internet ready cabling for television and Internet access.
  • Telephone cabling allowing multiple phones lines to each Marine Lot.
  • Fire control systems right on the docks.
  • Sewer connections for each Marine Lot.
  • Dock lighting for safety and security.
  • Each Float home is accessible by boat so Float home owners can moor a commuter boat or recreation boats up to 18' long adjacent to their Float home.
  • Parking adjacent to the Float home Village is included.
  • Common Area Maintenance is carried out by Marina Staff - you only maintain your Float home and we will even do that for you, for a fee.

You can find further info about the Salish Seaside RV Resort & Marina at their website below.

Click on the image below to view


Cowichan Bay:

Cowichan Bay Marina is situated in the centre of the historic seaside village in a natural harbour near the mouth of the Cowichan and the Koksilah Rivers, surrounded by the Gulf Islands. Nestled in a scenic coastal area with calm waters, the marina offers a variety of amenities and services for boaters and visitors which makes it a popular destination for recreational boating enthusiasts and tourists.

The marina accommodates a range of vessels. The majority of slips are rented on an annual basis, however slips do become available throughout the year. There is currently no accommodation for transient moorage.  A limited number of live-aboard residents are in the marina.

The docks and slips are well maintained and equipped with power and water hookups. In addition, it has a fuel docks and pump-out station for waste disposal. There is also a boat launching and haul-out service for convenience.

There are various amenities in the area including waterfront restaurants and cafes, marine supply stores and tourist shops.

To find out further details, visit their website here: https://cowichanbaymarina.com/

Maple Bay:

Maple Bay has been providing a safe and secure harbour to recreational boaters since 1945. It is located just 10 minutes from Duncan. 

Maple Bay Marina offers full service year round with a stunning float home community, a full-service boat yard, eateries and a colourful hive of activity for all those who boat and love boats.

For the past two decades the Marina has undergone extensive improvements, all oriented to the support boats and those who boat, all with a sensitive eye to preserving the majestic beauty of the land, the authentic west coast vibe and sense of the role it has in the local community.

The Marina offers both transient and long term moorage options accommodating vessels of various sizes. The docks and slips offer power, water and pump-out facilities. The docks have fuel service and you can also rent a boat if you don't have one of your own. There is a full service boatyard that provides repairs, maintenance and hauling services. 

Maple Bay Marina provides a wide range of amenities and services to cater to boaters needs. The bay is a popular spot for recreational boating, sailing and fishing with its many opportunities to explore nearby islands, coves and inlets. 

You can find further info about the community here: https://maplebaymarina.com