Miami's 'The Ark Companies' Bringing Houseboats Mainstream

Miami houseboat builder Arkup has been acquired -- under an umbrella known as The Ark Companies -- to guide their unique brand of boats into the mainstream.

Arkup first made headlines in 2022 when a legal battle between the owner or an Arkup and the City of Miami pushed the unique vessels into the public sphere. The issue surrounded whether the Arkup should be legally considered a boat, or a home, with the City of Miami classifying it as a "floating structure" and subjecting it to a $120,000 property tax bill. The boat's owner, Jonathan Brown, head of Macknight International, fought the allegation and won in court. The fallout was significant enough, both for the quirky headlines and the future of houseboats, that the company touted its legal exemption from property tax on its website.

The attention the case garnered allegedly helped fill Arkup's order books with waterfront property owners, boaters, and those seeking an alternative to cottages placing orders for the their ultramodern "livable yachts." The company took 20 pre-orders in the months after the case, according to Marine Industry News.

The boats are, at their core, an eco-friendly houseboat with a motor and helm. While their top speed is only 5-6 knots, they do contain a bow deck with controls for navigation, 136 horsepower thrusters, and an anchor, thus satisfying their status as a 'boat' according to the U.S. Coast Guard. They're also environmentally friendly with a rainwater collection and purifying system, solar panels, and renewable energy features.

The Arkup 50, its original design template, is available in four different floor plans -- studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, and commercial. All four templates features a rooftop lounge, 360 degree walkaround decks, solar power, an electric propulsion system. She carries an LOA of 47' with a beam of 17' (decks closed) and 33' with the decks open. In total, the Arkup 50 offers over 2200 square feet of living space, 660 square feet of rooftop, and seating for 14. Her electric propulsion system boasts a 126 kWh LiFePo battery system, 12 kW of solar panels, a backup 15 kW generator, and a range of 21 nautical miles on a single charge.

The original Arkup was built in Miami by French engineers Nocolas Derouin and Arnaud Luguet, who envisioned the design as a beacon of renewable energy and environmental preservation. Then in 2021 the company was purchased by British businessman Jonathan Brown for $3.3 million and has been in Biscayne Bay ever since.

In the second quarter of 2025, The Ark Companies acquired Arkup and positioned it under its umbrella of startups, which also includes companies focused on manufacturing, hospitality, and transportation.

One of the companies under that umbrella is Lyman-Morse, a Maine boatbuilder and brokerage with nearly 50 years of manufacturing experience. Lyman-Morse will take over production of Arkup boats, starting with the Arkup Villa 50, before expanding to include the full model range, according to International Boat Industry (IBI).

“Arkup has set out to assemble a world-class team and set of partners to drive the brand’s growth in this next chapter,” said Sam Payrovi, chief executive of The Ark Companies.

“This collaboration allows us to merge our 48-year heritage of craftsmanship with visionary design and cutting-edge technology,” added Drew Lyman, president of Lyman-Morse.

As a boatbuilder, Lyman-Morse designs and builds classic wooden yachts and sailboats ranging from 30 to 57 feet, including "downeast" style yachts, dayboats, sloops, and cruisers. The company also has a fabrication division dedicated to building custom workboats like landing craft, fire boats, and patrol boats.

The Italian design studio Pininfarina, with its background in architectural, automotive, and industrial design, will lead the interior and exterior redesign of Arkup going forward, including the current Villa 50 and the upcoming Villa 75. The company's VP of design, Paolo Trevisan, says the partnership reflects “a more sustainable and design-driven future on the water.” Pininfarina has primarily focused on its automotive portfolio since founding in 1930 and its clients include the likes of Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Fiat, GM, and Maserati. Since the 1980s, Pininfarina has also designed high-speed trains, trams, light rail cars, buses, yachts, airplanes, and private jets.

Pre-orders for the upcoming Villa 50 are now open. The second generation model will include the work of Lyman-Morse and Pininfarina in its production.

You can get the details on pre-ordering your Villa 50 in the video below:

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