Noah's Ark for Millionaires: Florida company builds self-contained houseboats to escape the effects of global warming

In Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida, there is an incredible houseboat. But because of the property tax, the billionaire who owns the house claims it's actually a yacht. What kind of house is this and who built it, the publication said Jalopnik.

Photo: Shutterstock

The houseboat, or whatever it is, is known as Arkup #1. It is made by a company of the same name that specializes in what they call "livable yachts" and floating islands.

Founders companies that built Arkup #1, among other things, see it as a solution to the problem of climate change.

Arkup #1 was built by Nicolas Deruin and Arnaud Luguet, two French engineers who live in South Florida. They are dedicated to renewable energy and environmental conservation in the face of the threat of climate change and rising sea levels.

This environmentally friendly building is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system and solar panels. It was bought by British businessman Jonathan Brown's MacKnight International for $3,3 million in 2021.

Arkup is a 75-foot (22,9 m) two-story ultra-luxury houseboat with a total area of ​​4350 sq. ft. (404 sq. m), writes New Atlas.

Its most interesting feature compared to other houseboats is its hydraulic piles. They can be deployed up to 20 feet (6 m) deep to stabilize the dwelling, or raised above the waterline to avoid waves and reduce hull maintenance costs. The design is designed to withstand Category 4 hurricane-force winds of up to 155 mph (250 km/h), the firm said.

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Arkup #1 has plenty of other technology installed, including a 36kWh solar panel array and up to 1000kWh of battery power, which the creators say is enough for autonomous power.

Rainwater is collected from the roof and treated for drinking, and a bunch of communication systems are used for the Internet, television and radio. The house is driven by a pair of 100 kW electric azimuth motors.

The company promises to build more than one such house over the next few years.

Although Arkup #1 floated in the bay after Brown's purchase, Miami-Dade County officials decided to refer to it as a "floating structure". As a result, the property tax bill was $120.

But Brown's lawyers say the house is registered as a US Coast Guard ship. Brown and his legal team filed a lawsuit against the county.

“We believe that the only reason our client is in this position — unconstitutional taxation — is due to the shape, style and appearance of this yacht,” said lawyer Ivan Abrams, representing the owner. "She's designed like any other yacht, we didn't think we'd be in that position."

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Arkup No. 1 can reach speeds of up to five knots (5,75 miles - 9,2 km) per hour, has a bow deck with controls for navigation, small thrusters and an anchor system.

But living on the water and not paying property taxes can be a loophole for rich people.

Arkup #1 is the only "floating structure" to be taxed, which the owner's lawyers say is a slippery slope:

“If this boat is a floating structure, this means that all other yachts moored around Palm Island and Star Island that are not used daily for cruising are subject to tax.”

But county officials do not believe this, stating that Arkup #1 "was not built for use as a watercraft."

So it looks like Arkup #1 isn't a boat after all.

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