The newest form of hospitality has opened on the shores of Far Rockaway. Think a series of boats from the 70’s and early 80’s that have been re-crafted by artist Constance Hockaday to serve as “boatels.” Six boats in total, the majority were former fishing vessels salvaged from the area and now given a new life at Marina 59 at Far Rockaway.
29-year-old Hockaday drew inspiration for the Boggsville Boatel and Boat-In Theater from the 19th century pioneer Ms. Nancy Boggs. Boggs ran a floating brothel in the Willamette River to evade the authorities. Although a different type of entertainment from what Boggs’ vessel provided, the Boat-In Theater offers movies and lectures focused on water-related themes. They are hoping to screen Random Lunacy, a documentary based on the Floating Neutrinos, and Last Free Ride, a documentary about a houseboat community in the 60’s and 70’s in Sausalito, California. If you are looking to have a more “Boggs-like” experience, you may be lucky enough to catch a water-themed vintage porn show.
While many would think of staying on a boat as a luxury, the prices make it quite accessible—$50-100 is suggested for a night’s stay. The boats provide a rustic, camping-like experience. They have no water or electricity, although the nearby marina provides all the necessary amenities such as bathrooms and showers. There are grills on the platform and guests are encouraged to bring their own food and drink. For local information, artist TJ Hospodar has established an “office of local tourism” that is located at the marina.
Unfortunately, if you are hoping to book a room at the Boatel, it is sold out for this season (a good sign for what was deemed an experimental, artistic project). Given the high demand, it will likely re-open next summer or at least prompt other local boaters to give a new life to their boats as well.
From now until September 4, the public is invited to participate in the evening film and lecture series that run Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. There are also many other seaworthy events scheduled for the summer. For more information on specific events or to RSVP to attend an evening night of entertainment, contact the Flux Factory, a Queens gallery that is helping support the project.
How to get there: Take the A train in the direction of Far Rockaway to Beach 60th Street and walk two blocks. Biking is also an option for the more adventurous.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram