Ocean City Houseboat

The ban on renting houseboats like this one is now official in Ocean City.

OCEAN CITY, Md. - At a Monday night meeting in Ocean City, Sea Rocket CEO Will Wangel made a plea to the Town Council, "I'm not looking to fill a marina full of houseboats," Wangle asserted, highlighting the robust construction of the vessel and its suitability for saltwater environments. However, Wangle's arguments failed to sway the Council. 

The Ocean City Council's ordinance regarding houseboats took a significant step forward Monday night after passing its first reading at 6 p.m. The ordinance, aimed at regulating houseboats within the city, will now proceed to its second reading.

This development follows after the Ocean City council told the company Sea Rocket to remove their houseboat from marina waters near Dorchester Street and to also take down their listing online to stay there for a night. Sea Rocket has not changed a thing, saying they are not breaking any laws and that their vessel is a "commercial passenger vessel," not a houseboat.

According to the Ocean City Council, the ordinance aims to address concerns surrounding marina integrity and potential community disruption. Sea Rocket CEO Will Wangel thinks they're missing the economic benefits of his idea, stating, "Houseboats have been a great addition to every jurisdiction that they've been added. They're a great tax generator for the city."

The outcome of the ordinance's second reading will determine if the houseboat ordinance will become law in Ocean City.

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Kevin joined the CoastTV News team in November 2023 as a video journalist. He is a Rowan University graduate with a degree in radio television and film and a minor in sports communications. While at Rowan, Kevin worked at the campus television station, RTN, and was also a member of the Rowan radio station, 89.7 WGLS-FM.

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