All it took was a serendipitous six-hour bus ride to change Molli’s life forever. But I won’t spoil the awesome story of how she came to possess this former 70s party boat she has called home for the past six years.
The boat doesn’t sail, but it sits happily in the marina where Molli has a wonderful community of fellow boat-dwellers. She has done a huge overhaul of the interior, which includes a lovely bedroom, kitchen with a super retro 1950s oven, and even a giant bookcase for her library.
Personally I adore her boat garden, complete with tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, eggplant and more!
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You’ll Never Guess How She Got This Houseboat

Images via Tiny Home Tours
She lives on her boat with a precious dog, Odie!

Images via Tiny Home Tours
Her main indoor living area. Complete with “ship”lap.

Images via Tiny Home Tours
VIDEO: Woman & Her House Boat Tiny House
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Our big thanks to Allison for sharing! 🙏
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Natalie C. McKee
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what is a my5 that she is talking about? ty
It’s called MyFi. Goggle it.
Google!
First let’s say how great a job she has done as a newbie. Next this is a lot of boat one has to pay dockage by the ‘ for which in Cal can be quite high.
Next she was very lucky getting it at very low cost which is also why she got it as such are known as holes in the water you pour money into, is not wrong. Get one that you own, not one that owns you as too big.
The boat in good shape seaworthy wise would bring good money even as a houseboat but a lot more as a running boat.
She should find out what exactly she needs to get it running then wait for deals to pop up her water friends will likely hear about plus marine trader style websites, flyers. Likely has a common diesel like a small Ford or Volvo which become available often and not that much new. Her big problem is likely the cables for shifting, throttles.
Her luck was finding a good marina and the things they have helped her with have saved her 1,000’s and likely her boat, home so she should be very nice to them.
I’m glad she mentioned it isn’t easy as in that size, it certainly isn’t.
The beauty of living aboard is the community as you’ll never find a better group of people as boat living keeps it real. We do watch out for each other well. And especially the waterline as sinking will ruin someone’s day. It can be handled but you need to learn how to avoid it.
But generally go as small a boat as you can. You can have a nice home in a 16′ houseboat, even 12’ with toilet, shower. Nice is made light, aero so can be easily towed as a trailer or parked to live on makes it far more flexible.
My best from from Tech School did the exact same thing in Hawaii, When he first moved there a part of his relocation package was a studio apartment for the first 6 months, during that time he basically lived off of ramen and paid mostly cash for 40 foot house boat and then went in and redid it some of it. Not alot of it, put a new kitchen in it and built a new loft bed and painted the rest.
Spent six years with my wife living on a 36′ Piver trimaran, it was a wonderful time, I miss the life that Alison has, Nothing is perfect, being in weather can be bumpy but God when you stick your head out of the hatch and see what is around you it’s beyond wonderful. Dulce Vida (sweet life)
Molli: While watching your video I felt like I was there and you were talking to me instead. Your tiny boat-house is so cozy and refreshing. Bet you that it’s wonderful sleeping at night with the water rocking the boat.
May you enjoy many more years in your tiny home. Best to you!
Love it and San Rafael and Terrapin! But I REALLY love all of your artwork.
I’m in Murphys in a 5th wheel next door to my house which I Airbnb if you ever want to trade for a weekend…
Cheers!
Christine