A boathouse is a building at the edge of a lake or river where boats are stored and maintained. Think of it as a garage for boats: it protects them from weather and damage when they're not being used.

Boathouses typically have large doors that open directly onto the water, allowing boats to slide straight in from the lake or river. Some boathouses are simple wooden sheds that hold a single canoe or rowboat. Others are elaborate structures with workshops for repairs, racks for storing oars and life jackets, and even living quarters upstairs.

You'll find boathouses at summer camps, yacht clubs, and private homes along waterways. Rowing teams at colleges often practice out of boathouses, where they store their long, sleek racing shells. The building gives rowers a place to prepare before practice and to clean and store their equipment afterward. A well-organized boathouse keeps everything a boater needs in one convenient spot: the boats themselves, repair tools, safety equipment, and sometimes even a place to change into dry clothes after a day on the water.