On February 2nd after almost a month of preparation and waiting for ideal wave conditions, Ocean Builders has raised the world’s first seastead in international waters 12 nautical miles out from Phuket, Thailand.

Ocean Builders has built a spar design seastead over the past several months which consists of a large steel cylinder that sits vertically in the water with a fiberglass platform sitting atop the spar which acts as the living space. The spar was placed into the water on January 3rd and the platform placed in the water a week later in preparation for this event.
Now, with the first single family home built to remain floating in international waters, Ocean Builders has set a new path for those that wish to seek a new frontier by living on the sea permanently without the interference of legacy governments.
While this is merely a prototype to prove the concept, two brave souls have already moved into the seastead and will be documenting their journey through the Ocean Builders website, Youtube channel and Facebook page. Chad Elwartowski and Supranee Thepdet (Nadia/Bitcoin Girl Thailand) are the first seasteaders but they are anxious to have many new neighbors come and join them.

The next phase of the Ocean Builders plan is to make 20 more seasteads with an upgraded design which will include a deeper spar for even more stability and a living space which is not just a barebones prototype design but built around a quality living experience.
Those first 20 customers will get their seasteads almost at cost as a way of rewarding the pioneers willing to take a chance on something new. They will also be instrumental in setting the standards of seasteading governance and culture for those that come join them in the future.
To become one of the first seasteading pioneers and forge a new future with freedom loving individuals from around the world or just to get updates and information on what is going on go to https://ocean.builders and sign up.
How do phenomena like the 2004 Indian ocean tsunami fit into the engineering and site selection?
During a tsunami the sea rises and falls in such a way that anyone on shore is affected but those out at sea will not even notice the difference.
The safest place to be during a tsunami is out on a seastead.
Very cool.
Been thinking of the spar design.
We’ve currently been living on a 24′ sailboat for quite some time & looking forward to more space on land after a decade.
But would like to follow & keep up with how things are going as well as advocacy for Seasteading, self governance, start up nations, and options for humanity beyond traditional systems.
Great, I really like it! Youre awesome
Chad,
Congrats, that looks great !
All the best
Wilfried Ellmer | nautilusmaker®
Wow. Fantastic!! Good info the the tsunami. What about those Freak Waves??
Hope to see the inside.
Rick, freak waves or rogue waves are taken into account when the data is analyzed for the average and highest wave heights. Throughout the year, the height of a rogue wave would reach 2 meters high. Statistically over the course of 10 years it could reach 4 meters high. And over 100 years the highest rogue wave would reach 5 meters.
Our current platform is ok with 5 meter waves (though we may get a wet kitchen floor from a small amount of water getting through the bottom of the door. The production version may be higher.
Hi Chad and Nadia!
I’ve helped “Richart” Sowa of Spiral Island fame build his two latest floating islands, crewed some of the world’s most beautiful tallships, been a natural libertarian all my life, and am presently doing some good matching Bitcoin with some worthy causes around the world.
Great to find your website, and hear from two people doing exactly what I love to be doing myself! My best to you, and your crew.