Scan Magazine | Business Profile | Zunshine Living
The newly introduced Danish Zunshine Living 114 houseboat is set to make the dream of living on a houseboat achievable to a much wider audience than previously.
Live the dream of life on a boat For many people, living on a houseboat is a lifelong dream, but unfortunately for most, the cost of achieving it means it never becomes reality. With a brand-new, module-made houseboat, Danish company Zunshine Living is set to change that. By Signe Hansen | Photos: Zunshine Living
Having been four years underway, Zunshine Living’s new houseboat, Zunshine Living 114, has finally reached the waters – and it has made quite a splash. With people streaming in for the official introduction of the houseboat, owner and founder of the company, Peter Poulsen, could confirm that many people, like himself, dream of life on a houseboat. “We had upwards of 300 people come by every day, and I must admit, I was a little surprised at how many came by and told me that they had dreamt of a houseboat all their life. One even told me, ‘I haven’t only dreamt of it but tried to realise it several times, but every time I failed because of the price’,” he says. “But now it’s 92 | Issue 112 | May 2018
achievable for the wider part of the population, not just the few and the rich.” Indeed, based on a platform of 160 square metres and priced at 2,200,000 DKK (approximately 260,000 GBP), including 25 per cent VAT in Denmark, the price of a Zunshine Living 114 is comparable to the price of property on land.
A houseboat for everyone When many people, especially couples in their 40s and 50s, dream of moving into a houseboat, it is often based on a mix of practical and romantic ideas – the wish for lower maintenance and the beauty and serenity of life on water. However,
while many companies before Zunshine Living have attempted to create a solution to make the dream come true, none have succeeded at making it achievable for more than a few. “Previous projects have been wellintentioned, but what has happened is that so many expensive compromises have been made that, in the end, the products have been out of reach for the wider audience,” explains Poulsen. “That’s why we have spent significant resources on developing a beautifully designed houseboat with unique qualities at a price within reach for everyone – and we have succeeded!”
Quality and safety That the Zunshine Living 114 can be produced at prices significantly lower than other houseboats is in large part due to the fact that both the residential part and