In selling the house to start his dream business, Charles Chatain bet a million dollars on four American boats in hopes of following his passion and spending more time with his daughters.
The former sailboat racer and wedding singer runs a one-man show hosting sightseeing trips, office parties, hen's nights, family picnics and the like on Lake Burley Griffin.
"I was thinking twice. Keep the house and keep playing guitar, or do I follow a new idea?," Mr Chatain said.
Initially, he started in 2023 by playing host and entertainer at small weddings on his 150-year-old second-hand ferry.
Up to 30 people, including guests and wedding parties, would hire the ferry for two or three hours for the ceremony and light festivities.
"We would move around the West Basin of the lake. Guests would drink champagne, have some canapes, and I'd get up and do a couple songs," Mr Chatain said.
"We've had a few engagement parties and a couple of weddings on that boat.
"I was enjoying that so much so I thought, 'let's expand'."
Customers also became familiar with him after being ferried from the Kingston Foreshore to Floriade last year.
Around the same time, Mr Chatain purchased his weatherproof, electric boats - all named after the women in his life - for groups of 10 to take out on their own.
"They have steering wheels, they move forwards and backwards. Even though they look larger and wider, they're so manoeuvrable," he said.
The boats, sailing all week from 9am to sunset, have in-built speakers, a fridge, and fully enclosable windows for colder days.
Mr Chatain has had some marketing support for Love Boats to Canberrans and tourists, and the '80s theme song by Jack Jones definitely helped.
"My friends said, 'Oh we don't like the name it's not gonna work'. But I love boats and I love Canberra," he said. "It's actually been a lot of fun."
Mr Chatain had great success during the Balloon Spectacular with people wanting early morning views of colourful shapes taking to the skies.
He also had his first customer marriage proposal earlier this year and most recently, a busy Easter weekend with boat brunch bookings.
Mr Chatain is now hoping Love Boats will stay afloat through winter.
"I've got over a million dollars flooding in the lake," Mr Chatain said.
"I'm doing everything myself. I want to get busier and I'm hoping [for] a busy winter season."
He said he's competing with GoBoat, a well-known franchise that according to its website will be hibernating through winter.
"I have absolute confidence," Mr Chatain said.
"It's just the feedback I've had from people who've already had the boats."
Queanbeyan's Bill Douglas, who'd arrived with his family on a sunny day out, said he has hired Mr Chatain's boats six times this year.
"I hope this man stays in business," Mr Douglas said.
"Any visitors we have, we bring them here. They're beautiful boats."
