DIY “Neverlanding” Houseboat Captures Attention with Epic Great Lakes Journey and Enigmatic Captain

A homemade houseboat from Ontario dubbed the Neverlanding has docked in Port Austin, Michigan — but its unique appearance and enigmatic captain has captured the imagination of boaters and media alike.

The 21-metre floating home, built by Canadian handyman-turned-captain Steven Mylrea, had been moving through the Great Lakes this fall, only to pause after winter conditions forced it to stop in Port Austin.

Mylrea, accompanied by his trusty dog Mexicali, launched the project from Harrow, Ontario — on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes — in April 2025. Despite trying to keep a low profile and live the life of a sailor, boaters and media have taken a shine to Mylrea. His unique craft Neverlanding is more than a raft -- it boasts sleeping quarters, a kitchen and bathroom, even a sauna and hot tub. It's powered by a single 85 horsepower outboard and is built on a base of blue barrels and local lumber. While it may not look like much, Neverlanding has been consistently spotted across the Great Lakes, proving the seaworthiness of both the vessel and the captain. Mylrea has traveled extensively within the Great Lakes in 2025, completing the entirely of Lake Erie and the St. Clair River.

The vessel has quickly gained a following as boaters began tracking its slow journey across the Great Lakes. A Facebook group documenting its progress has attracted thousands of members, so many that it had to be temporarily shutdown to manage the influx. The group isn't run by the elusive Mylrea, but by a fellow boat captain who felt his story deserved to be told.

Sadly, Mylrea's trip hit a snag last week. After arriving at Port Austin on the morning of December 2nd, he reluctantly decided to end his planned voyage to Chicago and agreed to haul the boat ashore. Lake conditions have been consistently nasty as winter sets in, with the ice about to bring more struggle over the next few months.

Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson said the decision appeared smart given the circumstances. Winds of 10–12 knots and waves of up to three feet in open stretches of Lake Huron had made the voyage unsafe, especially for a flat-bottomed homebuilt boat such as Neverlanding. “(Lake conditions are) way beyond the capabilities that the boat could handle,” Hanson told reporters.

On Tuesday, December 2nd, a front-end loader hauled the Neverlanding onto the beach at Bird Creek Park where she will sit for the winter. Local officials indicated they may push or tow the vessel onto the ice when the lake freezes, to keep it secure, but for now Mylrea remains aboard where basic provisions and a wood stove will see him through the cold.

After being coaxed to speak publicly given all the media attention, Mylrea posted a long missive in the Facebook group explaining his reasons for building Neverlanding and what he hopes her story can share with others.

"Neverlanding will get where she is destined for one way or another...or ill die trying" the captain said. "I have had many talks with friends, new and old and to all of those who know about Neverlanding's plans and how we will manage this infamous attention you give me...you are welcome to share as much or as little as you want. I heard from friends I had not heard from in a long time and we left off as if no time had passed because we will always and forever be friends even if not on Facebook."

Originally from a small community near London, Ontario, Mylrea says he worked as an electrician and computer programmer and is a licensed pilot. Building the Neverlanding was a passion project inspired by childhood adventures and a love of exploration.

"There has been so much good come from this. I assure you the journey is just getting started. Some of you know most of the plan or pieces of it, it’s very big, feel free to say it, but ultimately only those who really have engaged with me, before this group and the hype know that Neverlanding was built to be giving away for free, to a person who i saw in a dream, who is generic, not specific, but who fishes on the river bank with a shoe lace and a hook no bait, rarely catches a fish, just one in between periods of starvation and sleeps in the dirt under the stars while he fixes the huts of his fellow community and uses Neverlanding to create his dreams (with a giant gantry 3d printer yet to go on top...). In my dream, he's there when I pull into the river before the passersby's come for their picture. However this dream really did happen before Neverlanding was even started, when I couldn't have known the attention she would receive. The dream happened one night as I researched the rivers of Africa finding my potential anchorages and communities to visit for supplies, It’s very far away but time goes by fast."

Though safety concerns have forced a pause in Mylrea's journey, local officials say the vessel meets regulations. In fact, Mylrea registered the boat with Transport Canada before the trip, and it meets all necessary requirements for travel. Still, they remain concerned about the flat-bottom design if the boat enters rougher waters of Lake Huron.

All that being said, the elusive Captain Mylrea still has plans to travel far and wide with Neverlanding, this winter is simply one of life's frustrating hiccups within a grandiose journey. He says he'd like to take a boat, whether Neverlanding or another, across the Atlantic to Madagascar.

"Everything of good intent holds up under scrutiny. It sure has been a wild ride thus far, and it's going to get even more wild," he told the group.

As the winter settles in, Mylrea plans to spend the season in Port Austin while deciding whether to upgrade Neverlanding — perhaps even making it more capable for future travel, possibly over ice. But for now, his improbable dream voyage is on hold, but the spirit behind it remains intact: "The slower we go, the more we see and the happier we are. I often take the scenic route"

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