Houseboat Proud. Time is found for a suburban chore on a floating home in the middle of Manhattan’s only small boat marina. A used houseboat costs as little as $12,000, and it takes less than $1,000 a year to stay here at the 79th Street Boat Basin, in New York City. It may not be a palace, but compared to most city apartments, it is cheap. It’s an abrupt change for many attracted to the life: some have never had a wrench in their hands before, but keeping up with a decaying houseboat converts them into mechanics, painters and plumbers.