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Musician Lives in 481 Sq. Ft. Houseboat That Used to be a World War II Lifeboat 


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This week’s tiny house is situated in the land of multi-million dollar homes.

Its owner, Fiver Brown, has found a life hack to live frugally in this area.

How? A floating home. It’s a former World War II lifeboat that was converted into a 481 square foot house in 1967.

San Francisco Bay 481 Square Foot Houseboat

The boat is 13′ x 37′ with fantastic views of the bay. Fiver says he sees stingrays, seals, fish and birds from his kitchen and loft windows.

His little house is paid off so all he has to worry about is the boat slip rental at Galilee Harbor Co-op which is located in central Sausalito, California.

FYI: Sausalito is just north of San Francisco if you used the Golden Gate Bridge to get there. The community is composed of:

  • Artists
  • Marine workers
  • Creative writers
  • Painters
  • Photographers
  • Boat-builders
Tiny House of the Week: Fivers Houseboat in San Francisco Bay

Screenshot Courtesy of Faircompanies.com on YouTube

Video tour and interview below:

Musicians, Artists and Entrepreneurs for Tiny Houses

I like how small spaces influence creative people to pursue their dreams. That’s why I’m passionate about this movement and this is a great example of it working for somebody.

Brown is a musician with his own band Fiver Brown and the Good Sinners. He runs his own local record label called Floating Records. If you want to see him perform you can do that on his YouTube Channel. Enjoy. 🙂

Tour of Fiver’s Houseboat

In this video tour, thanks to Kirsten Dirksen of Faircompanies.com, you’ll get the complete tour of Fiver’s crib. Inside and throughout you’ll find:

  • Walk-in closet
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen/Galley
  • Upstairs sleeping loft
  • Awesome windows
  • Neighboring houseboats

Walk-in Closet slash Mini Bedroom

Fiver was hesitant to show us his walk-in closet but you get to see it anyway (there’s dirty laundry all over the ground… but who cares?).

That area can be transformed back into a miniature bedroom or you can also turn it into a small office or other type of work space.

Video Tour of the 481 Sq. Ft. Houseboat Below:

Tiny House of the Week: Fivers Houseboat Tour

“It’s a pretty easy spot to… Not leave.” – Fiver Brown

Tiny House of the Week: Fivers Houseboat - Easy Spot to NOT Leave, haha

Explore more small houseboats.

If you enjoyed this funky 481 sq. ft. tiny/DIY houseboat you’ll love our free daily tiny house newsletter with more!

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Alex

Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!
{ 17 comments… add one }
  • sesameB
    October 31, 2011, 2:14 pm

    Nice!

  • November 4, 2011, 1:51 pm

    🙂

  • jim sadler
    November 7, 2011, 6:35 pm

    I’m on the Treasure Coast of Florida and dock space here is expensive. But one can dock in the bay and row a few yards to shore without any fees at all. The great issues here are high winds and very hot weather most of the year. Even on the water life without Ac is usually hard to impossible. And getting a houseboat to a reasonably safe area every time a hurricane threatens is next to impossible. It’s a shame as I could enjoy living on a tiny house boat.

    • November 8, 2011, 6:38 am

      Glad you came by Jim. True, it’s not cheap to pay those dock fees every month. I know there are certain communities that make that easier, but not aware of any or many in Florida.

  • BOB SHERATON
    November 8, 2011, 6:10 am

    HEY JIM,

    YOU MUST HAVE MISSED THE ISSUE OF “TINY HOUSES” THAT HAD MY HOUSEBOAT IN IT…18′ LONG, FACTORY BUILT, SOLAR POWERED A/C. LIGHTS. FRIDGE, MICROWAVE, ETC…ALL FIBERGLAS, 6’8″ HEADROOM, 60 HP MERC,LIKE NEW,,,ONLY $7,200 WITH A GREAT, GALV, TRAILER! SEE IT ON CRAIGSLIST, S FL, OR CALL ME AT 954-428-1526 FOR MORE INFO. OH, NOT A MISPRINT IT IS $7,200. FOR 2K MORE I WILL THROW IN MY TAHOE!

    • November 8, 2011, 6:39 am

      Thanks Bob! I’ll have to make a post on your listing real quick.. Sorry about that, got busy, kind of forgot. Talk to you soon! Alex

      • BOB SHERATON
        February 11, 2015, 5:02 pm

        HI ALEX, JUST A QUICK FOLLOWUP ON MY 18′ HOUSEBOAT. A GUY FLEW IN FROM CNADA A FEW YARS AGO AND BOUGHT IT ON THE SPOT. HE USES FOR WINTER GETAWAYS. HE LIKED IT SO MUCH, HE FOUND AND BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE IN CANADA. HERE IN FLORIDA HE HAS BEEN CRUISING THE HARRIS LAKES, NEAR ORLANDO, AND THE SOUTH GULF COAST. HE CANT GET ENOUGH OF IT….ME? JEALOUS, BUT BUSY. I WILL SEND YOU SOME PICS SOON OF MY SOLAR ASSIST BIKE.
        SINCERELY, BOB

        • Alex
          February 12, 2015, 9:29 am

          Thanks for the update Bob and looking forward to seeing your solar bike!

        • GAETAN GAGNON
          February 19, 2015, 12:44 pm

          Thanks BOB! Yes I do love my Hobos, both American and Canadians. What a life!

  • Lisa
    July 19, 2012, 3:25 pm

    Love Love Love this home!!! I bet you have amazing views!

  • Linda
    January 31, 2014, 6:30 pm

    Does the toilet flush into the water?

  • Comet
    February 1, 2014, 7:09 pm

    @Linda—

    Um NO the toilet does NOT flush into the water—either there is a holding tank or an incinerating toilet or I suppose you could have a composting toilet (altho I think that would be awkward but it IS California—)

    Surely even our EPA would not allow this in a marina. And pretty sure no one wants toilet by-products floating around.

    Just sayin.

  • di
    May 30, 2014, 11:39 am

    I love that there is no formal dining room, office or living room.

  • di
    June 1, 2014, 1:54 pm

    There seems to be nothing to do, but enjoy life!

  • Janine
    February 11, 2015, 4:49 pm

    I am interested in purchasing a houseboat if you know of one for sale, please e-mail me. Thanks!

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