I’ve got to hand it to Mike Weekes, designer and builder of a geodesic shanty boat called Pride of Buffalo. Mike has been getting a lot of different reactions from people who come upon his craft, now outfitted with many of life’s conveniences, including Adirondack chairs and a gas grill (the cooler goes without saying).
While this boat may have been built on a shoestring budget, it shows the creativity, determination and pride of someone who set out to do one thing – build a watercraft, inspired by Buckminster Fuller, that he could tie up to a dock at Canalside… and travel the Buffalo River whenever inspiration struck. I’ve often thought about setting out to build a boat to do the same thing. Will I ever find the time? Probably not, which is why I admire this guy who accomplished what he set out to do in a relatively short period of time.
Now Mike has a place to retire to on the weekends… on the water. “I built the boat to share special sunsets at the Western Terminus of the Erie Canal or any magical spot you call home,” Mike wrote to me. “The floor is finished, the gas grill installed and we seem to have figured out a nice way to absorb shock between the hull and the dock, in spite of 25 mile an hour gusts. We sat, simply, reflecting, in the moment, shut down (see images). The mere act of breathing was enough to be content with. In August, at 8:30 pm EST, the heat and humidity give way to a cool breeze and a cold beer. We sit, silently, not having to say a word. A half dozen passersby yell,”Nice design, dude”and I acknowledge them gratefully. Moving from exhaustion to contentment, we are happy in our little floating picnic shelter, where Lake Erie meets the Buffalo River. I relax, as the waves nudge us, knowing every nail, every screw and every plank. I smile with the contentment of a job that has resulted in a safe, dry evening. I close my eyes and feel like a baby in my Mother’s arms being encourages to rock to sleep. I try to remember that I am an adult, responsible, with really important things to think about, but right now, I let them go. Geodesic clouds send us a message that Bucky approves of our tiny Pride of Buffalo.”
See history of Mike and his geodesic houseboat.
Also see the story, as it was picked up by ShantyBoatLiving.com.