Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
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

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:

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

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!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Alex
Latest posts by Alex (see all)
- The Accessibility Dimensions That Matter in a Small Home - November 10, 2026
- The San Juan: A Tiny House Builder’s Own Off-Grid Dream Home With an Elevator Bed and Penny Floor - November 9, 2026
- Koleliba: Bulgarian Tiny Houses Designed for Slowing Down - November 9, 2026

Join the Conversation
17 comments