A floating man cave washes up on the market for $5.5 million

Why live near the water when you can just live on it? Fowl Play, a luxury lodge docked off Port Fourchon, LA, can be towed out into open water so you can fish, hunt, and not bother the neighbors. Listed for $5.5 million, there’s plenty of room for friends and family, plus there’s serious revenue potential as a rental for offshore trips. Here’s a taste of what your weekends could look like.

Q: What was the inspiration behind building this floating lodge? “The inspiration came from hunting out of a much smaller houseboat that we used during duck season and stored away the rest of the year,” says the home’s seller, Tony Nelson. “We put together a wish list for something we could use year-round for fishing in the spring and summer, duck hunting in the winter. Construction took two years to complete in 2010.”

Q: How big is it? “At more than 4,600 square feet, the lodge sleeps 22 people,” Nelson says. “It docks alongside a covered boat dock and saltwater pool. When duck season arrives, we tow the lodge 40 miles into the marsh, where it stays on the 6,000-acre duck lease for 90 days before returning to home base.”

Q: How do you build a home that floats? “The lodge was built on two separate spud barges that connect to live and operate as one,” explains Tim James, Jr., the listing agent at Jon Kohler & Associates. “The barges are made of steel and have a life expectancy of 30 to 40 years when maintained. The vessel also has two generators, an onboard water maker, and 30,000 gallons of fresh water, so it can go for weeks without the need to conserve water or power.”

Q: Are floating homes a smart investment? “Absolutely. The opportunities a vessel like this opens up for world-class hunting and fishing are unmatched,” says Nelson. Although he used it to entertain clients and family, the lodge could easily generate revenue catering to exclusive hunting and fishing trips. “Without a vessel like Fowl Play, those opportunities would be hard to replicate.”