Turning a Declassified Navy Barge Into Our Home (Interior Framing)

Ambition Strikes

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The video documents a pivotal stage in the DIY transformation of a declassified Navy barge into a full-time floating residence, centering on the interior framing that will give shape to every future living space. After a short recap of how the 120-foot steel vessel was stripped, sandblasted, and coated to halt corrosion, the couple behind the project rolls in stacks of pressure-treated lumber and outlines their plan to build an insulated, wood-framed house inside the rugged metal shell. Viewers see them snap chalk lines, weld anchor tabs to the deck, and shoot Ramset fasteners through sill plates so the new walls stay secure even when the barge rocks or shifts.

With the perimeter walls established, the team frames the core layout: an open-concept salon and galley on the main deck, a master suite toward the bow, and a guest cabin, office nook, and mechanical room amidships. They pre-cut curved blocking to match the hull’s radius, add rubber gaskets to combat thermal bridging, and leave chases for electrical, HVAC, and closed-cell spray foam insulation. Throughout the build they emphasize weight distribution—critical for a houseboat conversion—by weighing every bundle of lumber and balancing loads port to starboard.

Challenges surface quickly. Condensation inside the steel skin demands continuous vapor barriers, tight joints, and a careful schedule so spray foam crews can work before cold weather returns. Rainstorms swell the river, forcing temporary power shut-offs and delaying material deliveries. When a stud wall is discovered out of plumb, the couple tears it down, laughs at their own mistake, and rebuilds, underscoring the learning curve that comes with turning a military barge into a custom home.

By the end of the episode most interior partitions stand in place, walkways feel defined, and the scale of the future living quarters finally comes into focus. The creators close with a preview of upcoming plumbing and electrical rough-ins, a reminder that the barge will eventually feature solar panels, a rainwater catchment system, and off-grid waste treatment, and an invitation for viewers to follow their continued voyage from rusting naval relic to modern, energy-efficient liveaboard home.

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