Faq

Where does the idea come from?

“At first I wanted to create a mobile floating house for my family so I called on Gildas Plessis Yacht Designer who accompanied me on this initial project.”

When I saw the enthusiasm that this concept caused, I pushed the reflection much further with Yacht Concept Laurent Da Rold and Franck Darnet Design leading to an industrial project.

I am also convinced that the KayFlô House is a habitat solution of the future, with regard to the rise of waters that will affect many countries in the decades to come ”
Jean-Marc Salpétrier, inventor of KayFlo.

What is the stay-ô house?

The KayFlô House is a floating house built by professionals of the nautical sector and approved to CE norms.

In regards to the Law it is a ship, so it can be positioned on anchor or dead bodies according to the sites or docked in a marina.

It was designed as a house, with large volumes, generous ceiling heights, brightness as well as wide openings on the outside.

With its 107 sq m (1152 sq ft) distributed on 3 levels, it allows to accommodate 8 to 10 beds to the maximum with 4 double rooms and possibly a bench bed in the interior living room.
About 25 people can be on board.

Who is the stay-ô house for?

The STAY-Ô House is for professionals.

And also for particulars, especially for people who :
Are looking for a second home on the coast

Are searching for an additional rental income
Desire to change lifestyle.
Seeking freedom, mobility and beautiful scenery
Wish to live in a sustainable and ecological house
Are in love with the sea and want the comfort of a modern house

How mobile is the kayflô house?

With the STAY-Ô House, you can safely navigate from one island to another, from one port to another in sea conditions corresponding to category D of European Certification construction.

According to this certification, category D construction allows you to sail in calm sea conditions (waves up to 50 cm, wind at 16 knots) for basic sailing.

The navigation category is the responsibility of the owner of the KayFlô House. Its definition depends on the country. Under the French regulations, this is defined by the maximum distance to a shelter. There are 4 categories of navigation: Basic up to 2 miles of a shelter (3.7 km); Coastal up to 6 miles (11 km); Semi-offshore between 6 and 60 miles (between 11 and 110 km); Hauturier beyond 60 miles (beyond 110 km).

What does life on water mean?

From a practical point of view :
The autonomy of the STAY-Ô House in water and energy allows its inhabitants to anchor freely without having to return to a marina. Afloat, the connection to the earth is done with a small boat. Life on board is that of a house, with the sea as a garden.

From a tax point of view:
The STAY-Ô House if it is registered in France implies an annual fee (called francization). There is no notary fee or registration fee, there is no property tax and no housing tax.

What to do in case of a climate event?

The STAY-Ô House is designed to ensure the safety of its occupants in navigation category D. In the event of a storm, it must be sheltered in a marina or sheltered cove.

Because of their positioning at sea and their mobility, KayFlô solutions provide better security in the face of earthquakes and tsunamis than hotels and houses by the sea.

How to maintain the kayflô house?

The KayFlô House has been designed to minimize maintenance.
The structure is made of polyester covered with gelcoat which is cleaned with water. Today the first boats built in the 1960s with this material still exist if they have been properly maintained.
Maintenance of the paint of the hull (antifooling) will depend above all on the need for mobility. If you are planning little mobility with your floating house then you will not need to go out before 3 years. A dry dock of 3 days will suffice. With a copper-resin based antifooling you will be able to stay at least 6 years without getting out of the water.

The exterior woodwork is replaced with synthetic materials that have a similar look and feel for greater durability.

As for the renewable energy systems, solar panels have a lifetime of about 20 to 25 years and on-board wind turbines will have an average life span of 12 to 15 years. The batteries are without maintenance they have a lifespan of 5 to 7 years.

How do the ecological systems work?

The STAY-Ô House is autonomous in energy :
The autonomy in energy relies on solar, wind, a battery park and on a perfect control of the consumptions. Exact sizing of the system will depend on the location of the installation, the sun exposure, the wind and the inhabitants requirements. If the energy need is very high (washing machine, heating, air conditioning for example) a thermic generator can occasionally bring the extra energy. The systems are located in technical volumes independent of the interior parts.

The STAY-Ô House is autonomous in water :
The rainwater is recovered and the gray water is recycled. The two waters are then mixed and then filtered. The reservoir system can store a total water volume of 4 cubic meters (1056 US liquid gallon). Exact sizing and autonomy are linked to the need and the rainfall of the place where the STAY-Ô House is located. If the rainfall is low and the need for water is high then a desalinator can take over.

Black water treatment system, zero discharge :
The toilet system turns black water into dry material. This compost must be deposited in a waste disposal center.

Is kayflô suitable for cold countries?

Yes it is designed for cold countries.
We use a thicker glazing, a thermal insulation reinforced at the level of the hull. The electric heating system and hot water are provided with a diesel generator.

The rear deck / veranda can be closed with a removable system.

How to buy a kayflô house?

The contract to acquire a KayFlô House is inspired by the contract of VEFA “sale in the future state of completion” vastly in the European real estate market, in France for example.
It offers 3 main guarantees :
1. Reimbursement of funds if the KayFlô is not completed
2. Completion of construction
3. The solidity of the construction

How is the kayflô house delivered?

The KayFlô House is delivered turnkey, with or without furniture as for a house. It is delivered with all its econological systems *: water, energy, water treatment, LED lighting.

The kitchen is equipped with faucets, sink, worktop and storage cabinets. The bathrooms are equipped with faucets, shower, washbasin and its furniture. The furniture is left to the customer’s choice. House-style furniture is perfectly appropriate. This can be fixed or placed on the ground.
There are several options for customizing the Kayflô House.

* Definition of econological by the inventor of the KayFlô House, Jean-Marc Salpétrier:
“This means that KayFlô House is economical and ecological.
Accessible : A purchase price which is much cheaper than the coastal real estate or a boat of equivalent volume. The KayFlô House is also delivered with its energy systems energy: solar panels, wind turbines, water treatment, natural ventilation. Ecology is also about building durable, sustainable and easily “renewable” house.

On all these points, economic and ecological meet, hence the 100% “econological” character of the KayFlô House. “

Can the purchase of a Maison Bateau KayFlô benefit from tax exemption in Overseas France?

Yes, as part of an investment in a tourist operation, the purchase of one or more KayFlô Maisons Bateaux can benefit from tax exemption for individuals paying their taxes in France. This applies to all French overseas territories: Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélémy, New Caledonia, Reunion, Polynesia and Mayotte. Cf. article 199 undecis B of the French General Tax Code.

Tax exemption scheme :

Stakeholders:
The tax-exempt investors acquire a stake in the SAS once tax approval has been obtained. They contribute part of the equity that will be used to purchase the KayFlô. Their involvement is purely financial.

SAS Véhicule Fiscal makes the KayFlô available to the Société Exploitante under a leasing agreement for a period equal to the repayment period of the loan from the Bank to the SAS for the purchase of the KayFlô.
The Société Exploitante benefits from the KayFlô under a rental agreement with the SAS. This contract gives rise to the payment of a guarantee which contributes to the purchase of the KayFlô. The contract also provides for rental payments by the operating company to the SAS. These rental payments correspond to the due date of the loan from the Bank to the SAS.

Exit of tax-exempt investors from the operation:
As soon as the transaction is set up, the Défiscaliseurs undertake to sell their shares in the SAS to the Société Exploitante after 5 years’ rental.
For its part, the Société Exploitante undertakes, through a promise to purchase, to acquire the SAS shares held by the Défiscaliseurs at the end of the 5-year rental period. Nevertheless, the Operating Company will have to continue tourism operations for a further 2 years.

Taxes :
VAT: The KayFlô is purchased exclusive of VAT. VAT is not due on the KayFlô because it is used for tourism.
Octroi de Mer: This tax is due at 8.5% of the purchase value of the KayFlô.

What is the MULTIKATFLO patent?

KayFlô products were originally designed for life on board, whether moored or docked. Thanks to our exclusive MULTIKATFLO patent, the creation of a slightly submerged beam creates unprecedented volume for units from 15 to 120 m in length. Two fundamental principles are developed here with the patent: it is particularly suited to cabotage units (archipelago, estuary, etc.) at speeds of less than 15 knots.

Energy savings are substantial. A digital tank simulation shows a saving of around 13% compared with a standard hull on large vessels.
The MULTIKATFLO patent offers the same advantages for cargo, research or people-carrying programs: doubled bunkers, doubled load capacity, simplified beam structure (carrying volume and developable surfaces simpler to implement), reduced draught, possibility of launching gear on the stern, doubled equipment garage on the main deck, etc…

Behavior at sea is also a fundamental consideration. The boat’s greater beam will give it more flexibility when rolling (less dry movements than a conventional catamaran), and we should be able to reduce the use of ballast tanks and stabilizers.
Finally, with the MULTIKATFLO, the additional volume of the “float-beam” will reduce bow excitation in the sea (less pitching).

What sets KayFlô apart from other on-water accommodation solutions?

	AVANTAGES	INCONVÉNIENTS
Pontoon Boats	– inexpensive – quick to build	– not environmentally friendly – unstable, rolling/pitching – inland waters only
House Boats	– moderately expensive/sq.m. – mass-produced	– rarely environmentally friendly – not designed for tropical climates/saline environments – smaller surface area (floats cannot be used in chambers) – expensive/sq.m. – often limited to inland waters – more or less stable depending on float technology – low autonomy
Aqualodge	– limited budget – quick to build – good room capacity	– low mobility (inland waters or lagoons) – shallow draft – moderate stability (roll/pitch) – limited common spaces vs. sleeping accommodation – not very ecological (poor thermal insulation…) – often only one level (no use of floats in bedrooms)
Catamarans (44 feet)	– highly mobile – inexpensive to sail – stability on the water	– high m² price – low habitability for “landlubbers”: high ceilings, size of bedrooms/bedrooms/toilets – low environmental impact (waste management) – low water/energy autonomy on board
Bungalows	– easy to build – potentially inexpensive	– fixed – limited to inland waters/no tide – exposed to storms – dependent on authorizations that are difficult to obtain (e.g. Protection du littoral in France)
Pilotis	– stable – connected to shore – easy water and electricity connections – housing structures less expensive than boats	– fixed to the seabed – highly dependent on subsoil structure – highly exposed to storms – non-environmentally friendly – dependent on difficult-to-obtain permits
STAY-Ô	– mass-produced for STAY-Ô or custom-built for CROSS-Ô and SUNSET-Ô – controlled budget thanks to MULTIKATFLO patent – excellent habitability, with 8 versions available (1 to 8 berths) – 360° vision of living spaces – ecological, thanks to rainwater harvesting and graywater recycling – eco-friendly thanks to renewable energies+batteries – self-sufficient in water (watermaker possible) – seaworthy thanks to its boat status (CE approval) – catamaran stability	– less mobile than a catamaran (speed, sea power) – STAY Ô can be sailed close to the coast (2 miles from shore)
CROSS-Ô	– custom-built – controlled budget thanks to MULTIKATFLO patent – excellent habitability, with 8 versions available (1 to 8 berths) – 360° vision of living spaces – ecological, thanks to rainwater harvesting and graywater recycling – ecological thanks to renewable renewable energies+batteries – self-sufficient in water (watermaker possible) – seaworthy thanks to its boat status (CE approval) – catamaran stability	– less mobile than a catamaran (speed, sea power)
SUNSET-Ô	– tailor-made to suit each customer’s customer needs – controlled budget thanks to MULTIKATFLO patent – excellent habitability – 360° vision of reception areas – ecological, thanks to rainwater harvesting and graywater recycling – ecological thanks to renewable renewable energies+batteries – self-sufficient in water (watermaker possible) – seaworthy thanks to its boat status (CE approval) – catamaran stability	– less mobile than a catamaran (speed, sea power)