Inside the luxury floating house that used to be a U.S. Navy boat that served in Vietnam

• Phil Wallis, has lived on the boat in Port Werburgh, Kent, for five years
• Spent £100,000 buying Jorga, before splashing a further £40,000 on renovation
• Complete with sunken bath tub, panoramic wheel house, a spiral staircase, kitchen, master bedroom, lounge and even a conservatory

By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED
The outside of this tugboat looks just like any other vessel in the harbour, but inside it has been transformed into a luxury floating home.

Phil Wallis, 58, upped sticks from Crouch End, North London, to live on the former U.S. Navy boat on the river Medway in Kent.
He ditched his former five-bedroom home for the spacious boat called Jorga - which comes complete with sunken bath tub, panoramic wheel house, a spiral staircase, kitchen, master bedroom, lounge and even a conservatory.
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Deceptive: From the outside this tugboat looks just like any other vessel in the harbour. But inside it has been transformed into a luxury floating home

New life: Mr Wallis ditched his former five-bedroom home for the spacious boat called Jorga - which comes complete with sunken bath tub, panoramic wheel house, a spiral staircase, kitchen, master bedroom, lounge and even a conservatory

Semi-retired newspaper worker Mr Wallis said: 'The best bit is I don't have to cut the grass anymore.

'I used to live in North London in a five-bedroom Edwardian house. It was a nice place to live, but I don't miss London.
'The lifestyle here is lovely - you get plenty of fresh air and I can fish for my dinner.

Luxuries: Mr Wallis relaxes aboard his floating home which has two sofas

Home sweet home: The study/wheel room on Phil Wallis's tugboat. He has now lived on the boat in Port Werburgh in Hoo, Kent, for five years

Dedicated: Mr Wallis spent two-and-a-half years transforming the 107ft by 26ft tug, which served in the Vietnam conflict, into the cosy home he now lives in

'And the sunsets are spectacular. It does get choppy and very windy. The boat can move about a lot in storms, but I never get sea sick.'
Mr Wallis, who has now lived on the boat in Port Werburgh in Hoo, Kent, for five years, spent £100,000 buying Jorga, before splashing a further £40,000 on renovation.
He spent two-and-a-half years transforming the 107ft by 26ft tug, which served in the Vietnam conflict, into the cosy home he now lives in.
Mr Wallis added: 'I found the boat on the internet and thought it was massive compared to the canal boat I planned to buy.

Life-changing: Phil Wallis, 58, upped sticks from Crouch End, North London, to live on the former US Navy boat on the river Medway in Kent

Keeping true: The Oriental theme bedroom Mr Wallace's boat

Modern living: The study on the boat is set up with the latest mod cons

'I didn't realise the value for money you can get with houseboats. Considering the size of the boat and the river life you get, it is really really nice.
'It did take a major restoration to make it liveable. Like a house, the work seems never ending.
'It took 80 litres of grey paint and 60 litres of green paint just to freshen up the walls.

Labour of love: The living room-come- kitchen on the boat. Mr Wallis spent £100,000 buying Jorga, before splashing a further £40,000 on renovation

Bathing in style: A sunken bath in the middle of the floor on the tug boat

The good life: Phil Wallace prepares a cup of tea aboard his tugboat

'The interior was extensively furnished. I knocked down walls to make more space and re carpeted it all, which was the most expensive part at £2,500.
'It was just like restoring a car. You discovered lots of little detail you never knew existed when you purchased it like brass port holes and navy hatches.'
Mr Wallis pays just £400 a month for a mooring and runs everything else off diesel delivered by a special fuel ship.

Bright and breezy: 'It took 80 litres of grey paint and 60 litres of green paint just to freshen up the walls,' said Mr Wallis

Seaside bedroom: Mr Wallis said:''I found the boat on the internet and thought it was massive compared to the canal boat I planned to buy'

'It did take a major restoration to make it liveable. Like a house, the work seems never ending.
'It took 80 litres of grey paint and 60 litres of green paint just to freshen up the walls.
'The interior was extensively furnished. I knocked down walls to make more space and re carpeted it all, which was the most expensive part at £2,500.
'It was just like restoring a car. You discovered lots of little detail you never knew existed when you purchased it like brass port holes and navy hatches.'

Start from scratch: Work being undertaken during the refit of the vessel

Mr Wallis pays just £400 a month for a mooring and runs everything else off diesel delivered by a special fuel ship.
He now believes the boat is worth a staggering £350,000 - but doesn't plan on selling up any time soon.
He said: 'Whenever friends come down they are always astounded by the size of it.
'When I told family members I was going to live on a boat, they naturally thought I meant narrow boat, so they were pretty impressed when they came down and realised it was a huge US Army tugboat.
'I don't really miss London, this environment is really too unique.'

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