Free template · updated November 3, 2026

Houseboat welcome book template

Staying on a houseboat is a treat, but almost nothing works like a house. Guests need to know how to step aboard safely, how the marine toilet works, how much fresh water there is and what the marina allows.

This template gives each section with sample text for a moored houseboat, covering life jackets, the holding tank, shore power and local picks like the dockside café and water taxi.

The template

Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details.

Welcome

Welcome aboard [Houseboat name]! Enjoy the gentle rocking and the view from the deck.

Check-in

Check-in is from [Check-in time].
Find us at [Marina name], dock [Dock and slip number]. The key is [Key location].
Boarding: step on at the [Boarding point], hold the rail and take it slow, especially when wet or at night.

Wifi

Network: [Network name]
Password: [Wifi password]

Parking

Park in [Marina parking area]. Carts for luggage are at [Cart location].

How things work

Life jackets: they're in [Life jacket location], in adult and children's sizes. Please put them on children whenever they're on deck.
Marine toilet: [Toilet instructions, e.g. pump the handle 10 times after each use]. Only toilet paper goes in, please; anything else can block the system.
Fresh water: the tank holds about [Tank size or days of water]. Short showers help it last. [Drinking water note].
Power: we're plugged into shore power. Please don't run the [High-draw appliances] together, or it may trip. The breaker is [Breaker location].
Cooking: [Stove note, e.g. propane stove; turn the valve at the tank on before lighting and off after].
Moving the boat: [Boat use note, e.g. the boat stays moored during your stay].

House rules

Up to [Max guests] overnight guests. No parties or events.
Quiet hours [Quiet hours]; neighbours are only a few metres away.
Pets: [Pet policy]. No smoking or vaping inside the cabin.

Trash and recycling

Please sort into the bins in the galley. The marina bins are [Marina bin location].

Local picks

Coffee: [Dockside cafe name].
Water taxi or ferry: [Service name and stop].
Sunset spot: [Spot name].

Emergency info

Emergency: [Local emergency number]. Location: [Marina name and address], dock [Dock and slip number].
Smoke, CO and propane alarms: [Locations]. Fire extinguisher: [Location].
Marina office: [Marina phone]. Host: [Host name], [Host phone].

Checkout

Checkout is by [Checkout time].
Please put used dishes in the sink, return life jackets to [Life jacket location], and turn off the lights and heat.
Lock the cabin and leave the key at [Key location]. Thanks for staying aboard!

Tips

Explain boarding first; stepping on and off is the most common place for slips and falls.
Keep children's life jackets on board and ask parents to use them on deck.
Write the marine toilet steps for your exact system, with a photo of the handle or switch.
Include the dock and slip number in the emergency info, as the marina address alone isn't enough.
Make sure there are working CO and propane alarms if you have any fuel-burning appliances.

Put it on one guest page instead of a binder

Keegix turns your welcome book into one link and a QR sign by the door. Upload the binder you already have and AI drafts the page in about a minute, or paste this template in. Free forever for one property.

Upload my binder, free See a sample guest page

Questions

What should a houseboat welcome book include?

Where to find the boat and how to board, life jackets, the marine toilet, fresh water limits, shore power, cooking, marina info, local picks, emergency info and checkout.

How do I explain a marine toilet to guests?

Give the exact steps for your system and say that only toilet paper goes in. A small sign by the toilet helps.

Do houseboat guests need life jackets?

It's a sensible step to provide them, especially for children, and to ask guests to wear them on deck or when near the edge.

More free templates

All welcome book templates · Every free template

Free to use

Copy it, change it, print it, use it with any platform. Sharing it with a host group, on a blog or in a forum? A link back to this page helps other hosts find the latest version:

https://keegix.com/welcome-book/houseboat/