I’m not sure how many people have had the opportunity to captain their own ship, but it’s a mighty feeling.
When Tom Beatty retired from the U.S. Coast Guard as a captain, he knew that his grandson Alex would love to be on the water and maybe learn how to sail someday. But what could he do for a 3-year-old? Well, when it came time for Christmas last year, Tom solved this problem by building him his own boat!
The story of how Beatty came up with the idea for his grandson’s bed might be a little too long to include in this blog post, but you can read it all on our website. In short, we love seeing grandparents go above and beyond to make their grandchildren happy.
Whether you’re looking for a boat or bed, this design has it all. Built from two-by-four lumber and plywood, the Beatty Boat Bed is a unique piece of furniture that has been crafted with the intention of making it fit into any room.
Beatty’s creativity and passion for his work shine through with every detail he adds. You can see that the bed boat is a labor of love in all aspects, from its construction to how it looks on picturesque water. Be sure to take a look at this one-of-a-kind piece of furniture before you go.
We’ve seen some pretty creative DIY projects, but nothing quite so unique as this one. From the outside, it looks like a boat with everything from an engine to navigation lights and life preservers.
When Beatty’s wife saw the “boat” for the first time, she was so impressed that she arranged a launch party to celebrate. The boat became Alex’s Dream Boat and it is now docked in their backyard where they can enjoy it with friends and family any day of the week.
Published: February 2018
Author
Mark Corke
Contributing Editor, BoatUS Magazine
Mark Corke has been a marine surveyor, boatbuilder and is now a BoatUS Magazine contributing editor. He’s also one of their DIY gurus, creating easy-to-follow how-to articles and videos on everything from buoyancy to bilge pumps.