Though permanently moored to a bluff overlooking Connecticut’s Niantic River, this 4,400-square-foot three-bedroom home has the look of a vintage steamship about to embark on its next voyage upriver. The project–a collaboration between the homeowner and general contractor Jonathan Laschever–was one of the first-place award winners in NADRA’s 2017 National Deck Competition, thanks in part to the home’s maritime-themed multi-level decks.

Laschever says that he used over 500 linear feet of stainless steel cable rail infill, both outside and inside the house. He and his client chose it for its marine credentials, promising durability in the home’s near-saltwater environment (about a mile from Long Island Sound). The cable rail infill also contributes to the open views throughout the “vessel.” While Laschever custom-built the interior rail posts, he installed Feeney DesignRail powder-coated aluminum rail posts on the home’s exterior. The rails are topped with an ipe cap rail that matches the ipe decking on the foredeck and curved upper deck above the pilot house. At night, the landlocked vessel is illuminated by LED running lights integrated into the rail system.