Staff writer
 |
| JASON HUNT/Press Greg Cook, CEO of Serendipity Hospitality, shows off some of the features in the 3,100 square-foot-house boat that will be rented out for events. |
Couple makes 92-foot houseboat available for events, parties
COEUR d'ALENE -- Greg Cook and his wife Tammy have come home to Coeur d'Alene with their slice of serendipity: A 92-foot luxury houseboat they want to share and make available for events, parties and cruises.
They call their new venture Serendipity Hospitality.
Cook is a 1979 graduate of Coeur d'Alene High School and the University of Idaho. He then hopped around in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years.
He and Tammy decided they wanted to get into the hospitality business. In the process of looking at real estate for a possible bed and breakfast, they came upon an intriguing advertisement in one of the real estate tabs: An elegant houseboat.
The boat was brought to Coeur d'Alene brand new in 2001 from Sumerset Houseboats in Kentucky, which the Cooks purchased from the original owner.
Serendipity has 3,100 total square feet usable for living and entertaining, with 1,600 enclosed square feet.
"When it's moving, it plows through everything," Cook said.
The "salon" area consists of the living, dining and kitchen areas with no detail spared. The custom entertainment system with satellite
TV and Bose speakers is centered in the salon, with additional speakers installed throughout Serendipity. The kitchen has solid maple cabinets and full-size appliances.
The Cooks are putting Serendipity through U.S. Coast Guard certification now to change what was a recreational vessel to a commercial vessel. They are upgrading life jackets, adding extra smoke alarms and, basically, doing extensive safety modifications to meet Coast Guard commercial boat requirements.
They plan to allow clients to either rent the entire boat or use it for special events such as weddings, catered lunches or dinners, birthday parties, holiday parties, fundraisers, memorial services, and fishing and diving expeditions.
The full upper deck has room to seat 70 people comfortably for a wedding, Cook said, and they already have a wedding booked for next summer. Cook said 25 to 40 people for an indoor dinner party is ideal. They can do full-service event coordination for their customers, but if the client wants to hire their own caterer or bring their own groceries, that's fine, too.
For overnight accommodations, Serendipity sleeps 12. One stateroom has direct access to the full bath. The master stateroom has its own private bath with Jacuzzi tub and separate shower. Another stateroom with a queen-size bed doubles as an office, with full Internet, phone and fax when the boat is in port.
The final stateroom has twin beds, perfect for kids or crew. Cook said all the staterooms will have television.
The spacious upper deck has a built-in barbecue, wet bar, refrigerator and ice-maker. There are two covered lower decks at both the bow and stern.
Serendipity is powered by two inboard engines. A 20 kilowatt generator is onboard and there is DC backup so the generator doesn't have to be on all the time. Water is provided either from tanks, or Serendipity can hook up to city water when docked, or use lake water.
Cook was particularly pleased with two personal water craft cradles on the rear of Serendipity, for docking a PWC. The boat even has a refueling hose for the PWCs or visiting boats.
Cook, who has an airplane pilot's license, had a prestigious 22-year career in the U. S. Air Force, but he does not have the appropriate U.S. Coast Guard license to pilot Serendipity commercially. A U.S. Coast Guard-certified captain is required to pilot the vessel any time the houseboat is moving under its own power, and must remain on board whenever the houseboat is moored or anchored at any place other than tied to its home dock, at 11th Street Marina.
"We subcontract for captains, crew, cleaning people, maintenance," Cook said. "We plan to use local businesses. We want this boat to become part of the community."
Prices for renting Serendipity vary depending on the season, length of cruise, whether it's overnight and whether it's moving or just at the dock. Visit www.SerendipityHouseboat.com for more information and photos or call (877)767-8592.
sh wrote on Oct 30, 2007 4:56 PM: