The Bubble Man, the Houseboat Crowd, and the Wild World Beyond Pontoon Boats

Not every boat is built for fishing trips or lazy lake afternoons. While pontoon boats are known for their comfort and ease of use, some watercraft push boundaries in ways that are simply baffling. Take, for instance, the man who tried to run across the ocean in a homemade bubble. Or the folks who live full-time on floating homes the size of studio apartments. Or even the DIY hovercraft hobbyists tearing across frozen rivers just because they can.

Let’s take a look at some of the people who make pontoon boats look downright traditional.

The Man Who Tried to Jog to Bermuda

Reza Baluchi isn’t famous for winning ultramarathons, though he’s run his share. He’s best known for building a giant plastic-and-metal floating wheel and trying to run it across open water. His homemade “hydropod,” which resembles a giant hamster ball with paddles, is powered entirely by jogging inside it. That’s right: no engine, no sail, just pure leg power.

Since 2014, he’s made multiple attempts to reach destinations like Bermuda, New York, and even London from the Florida coast. Each time, the U.S. Coast Guard has stopped him. Sometimes he made it hundreds of miles before being pulled back. In 2023, he was found 70 miles off the Georgia coast, allegedly armed with knives and wires. The Coast Guard arrested him after a standoff.

Still, Baluchi remains undeterred. His goals include raising awareness for charitable causes and promoting peace through endurance challenges.

Living Large on Floating Tiny Homes

If Baluchi’s water bubble seems extreme, houseboats offer a different kind of offbeat appeal. While pontoon boats have long been used as casual party platforms or fishing vessels, some people take things further by turning boats into full-time homes. From Seattle to the bayous of Louisiana, houseboat communities have carved out floating neighborhoods, complete with mail service and front porches.

Some love living the quirky life, like renovated school buses on pontoons or old tugboats turned into sleek modernist spaces. Others resemble high-end condos with rooftop decks and full kitchens. The appeal is part minimalist lifestyle, part never-having-to-mow-a-lawn-again.

Hovercrafts for People Who Can’t Sit Still

Then there are the hovercraft folks. Less about comfort and more about speed and spectacle, personal hovercrafts are technically not boats. They hover on a cushion of air and can zip across land or water. That hasn’t stopped adventurous tinkerers from building their own out of leaf blowers, plywood, and a dream.

Pontoon Boats Keep It Real

Pontoon boats might seem tame, but they’re still the boat of choice for anyone who wants stability, space, and a social atmosphere. Whether you’re tying up at the sandbar or slow-cruising a lake at sunset, pontoons are about enjoying the water without the wild variables. No self-powered hamster wheels, no experimental aircraft hovering inches above the surface. You’ll find coolers, music, and a flat deck with plenty of room for everyone.

Would You Ride the Bubble?

Boating, like anything else, attracts its share of characters. Whether you’re relaxing on a pontoon boat, building your own hovercraft, or trying to cross the Atlantic inside a plastic cylinder, the water draws in people with big ideas and even bigger personalities. Some stories end with sunset views. Others end with Coast Guard rescues.