St Lawrence Barge Yacht Takes Living on Water to Next Level

Have you seen the first ever St. Lawrence Barge Yacht? It takes living on the water to a whole new level.

The two story boathouse with a third-story roof deck, is part beach club and part loft space. It's home to husband and wife Rich Rossmassler and Julia Purcell who split their time between New York City and Grindstone Island on the St Lawrence River.

The locals know it's officially boating season when they see the Barge Yacht floating by. And it's arrived for the year.

Living Off the Grid & On the Water

The plan was to live life as freely and as off-grid as possible while focusing on sustainability and local materials.

“Our goal with this project was to celebrate changing landscapes while running predominantly off of our solar panels and enjoying food from our onboard garden,” Purcell said.

Form and Functionality

Rossmassler created the design. Purcell's father Tim helped build it. “Form and functionality were important to me when helping to plan the design and construction of our Barge Yacht,” said Rossmassler. "We’ve developed a new approach to boating and water-based living.”

The Barge Yacht features a built-in bar that opens onto the spacious kitchen as well a porthole to allow natural light into the bathroom. There's a living room, bedroom, indoor helm station, and 2 outdoor deck areas.

Built in Dock

The front of the barge has a hydraulically operated ramp that doubles as a dock and swim platform. The back features a swim platform with a rain shower, storage closets, and a covered entryway on the first level.

Twin outboards sit on hydraulic lifts, allowing the barge to enter extremely shallow water or even freeze in during winter months.

Award Winning Yacht

Taylored Architecture won an Award of Excellence from the CNY American Institute of Architects for the Barge Yacht.

Want one of your own? St Lawrence Barge Yachts can build one designed just for you.