Several years ago I wrote posts about living off the grid in our float cabin on Powell Lake in Coastal BC. You can read them here on the Tiny House Blog at “Our Little Cabin Up the Lake” and “Living on the Water.” Our float cabin, at the time, was 420 square feet downstairs with a 200 square foot sleeping loft under the peak of the roof. That is more than ample living space, but what it didn’t have was “indoor plumbing.” This fall we decided to trade in our trusty outhouse for a 60 square foot (6X10) bathroom with a composting toilet. The view won’t be as great, but the convenience will be appreciated. And instead of climbing four flights of stairs, we just have to go into another room. No rain, no wind – how civilized.

Our good friend John, who built our cabin, took a design I created and made it a reality. The bathroom addition is downstairs off our guest bedroom. He framed the walls, tied the roof into our existing one, made the old window into a doorway, added a window to the bedroom, and even gave us a side porch extension. He is a jack of all trades and was able to handle most of the work single handedly. Wayne and I worked on finishing touches like painting and furnishing.

We chose a Sunmar Excel NE for our composting toilet. The NE stands for non-electric. While it isn’t hooked up to our cabin’s solar powered electrical system, it does have its own panel to run a small fan within the air circulation pipe. That helps eliminate odour, and keeps the air moving around the compost as it processes. Six twists of the built in handle after each use keeps the contents in the holding drum mixed and working. The air circulation pipe rises above the roof line and has a built-in rain deflector. There’s also an overflow tube just to make sure there are no accidents indoors. With just two of us using the toilet, the capacity is excellent. We’ve had in operation for two months now, and are very pleased.

Our bathtub has been in our downstairs storage room for several years. Now it’s part of a real bathroom. The tub, however, isn’t connected for hot or cold water. Our bathtub is a cold weather luxury. In the summer, our natural swimming pool is all we need for a cooling swim or wash. We’ll continue to heat our water on the wood stove. I can fit four large pots on the surface at the same time, and a hot winter fire will get them almost boiling. Add an equal amount of cold water, and you have enough for a nice soak or soaping down. And there’s nothing like bathing with a friend to save water.

The bathroom also gives us some additional space for storage. A shelf built by John holds towels and toilet supplies, a recycled $1 end table holds toiletries, and a commercial pantry kit on sale for $49 provides space to store my canning in a cool place away from the sunlight. What a difference a little extra space makes when it is used wisely.

You can find more information about float cabin and off the grid living at http://PowellRiverBooks.blogspot.com. For information about Wayne’s Coastal BC Stories, come to www.PowellRiverBooks.com. Up the Lake and Farther Up the Lake have lots of information about our cabin life on Powell Lake.

John frames the 6 X1 0 bathroom addition and new side porch.

The new roof ties into our old peaked roof.

The new covered side porch is a bonus. The ceiling is insulated just in case we want to enclose it in the future.

Our Sunmar Excel NE installed in the new bathroom. The pull out drum handle is under the seat. The compost removal tray is behind and under the removable step. The exhaust fan has an on/off switch we use when the cabin is not in use.

The roof mounted air circulation pipe with rain deflector.

My new (bargain) storage is a wonderful addition. We opted for no sink because our hand pump is in the kitchen.

Our bathtub in it’s new bathroom position (out of the storage room) and John’s handmade shelf.

Our hot water heating system, simple but effective.

We weren’t looking to buy a boat, we definitely weren’t looking to buy a tugboat, we were just looking. We have a home in Port Townsend, Washington but the commute into the city for work was too much to do everyday, so at the time we were renting a house in Ballard (a neighborhood of Seattle). It was a nice house in a great neighborhood, but we really weren’t keen on being renters. When we saw the tug on craigslist we were just curious, but once we looked at the boat we realized we could stop being renters and have a place of our own in Seattle. A place on the water with a million dollar view.

The tug needed a lot of work, the decks needed to be replaced, the interior needed to be completely renovated, and the whole boat was in dire need of a coat of paint. But both my husband and I are comfortable with working in wood, so we decided it was a project we could handle. At first, my husband was worried the space would be too small for the two of us. I work at home and he thought I’d go stir crazy in such tight quarters. But when I thought about how much space I actually used in our rental house, I knew we could make it work. I think most people live in just a small part of their house, the rest of the space is taken up with storing stuff. Luckily we didn’t have a great deal of stuff. So two weeks after seeing the ad on craigslist, we bought a vintage wood tugboat, the Iver.

It took about two months of just looking at the boat to figure out where to start. It was a bit overwhelming, we are not experienced boat owners, we bought our first boat a little over year before, a 28 ft. fiberglass sailboat. We named that boat Troublemaker because we were so clueless about boating.

The first thing we tackled was making the boat water tight, it leaked through the decks. We covered the sides and back deck in cheap plywood and then coated that in a rubberized decking material called Gaco. Then we set about converting the interior into a liveable space. We tore out everything the previous owner had built, which wasn’t really much. A poorly designed galley area, a platform bed in the f’o'clse (the area under the bow deck) and a too large vanity in the head.

The galley cabinets were built in place, nothing on a boat is straight, especially an 85 yr old boat. We replaced a small electric marine stove with a household gas stove converted to propane. The shelves in the cabinets all slide out and the space between the stove and small fridge is a can pantry drawer. We later added a dish storage rack between the portholes on the back wall.

The rest of the cabin is our sitting, computer, TV area, guest bunk and dining area. We built a settee from wood we salvaged from my old work desk that my husband had made for me from a nice oak pallet he found on a construction site. The cushion is cut from a thick full sized foam mattress we had in the attic in Port Townsend. The settee is about the size of a twin bed and we made it high enough off the floor so we could put the dogs food and water dishes underneath and out of the way.

On the opposite wall we built an entertainment unit to house our flat screen TV with storage for laptops and other stuff, as well as a small bookcase. This wall hides the exhaust stacks that come up from the engine room, to the right was a bit of dead space that we turned into a wet/dry locker by adding a door from the built-in to the wall. The wood we used is mahogany tongue and groove that was salvaged from a house on Lake Washington.

Our stateroom is in the f’o'scle (boat lingo for the area below the bow deck) we built a queen size bed frame with storage underneath. We had a hard time figuring out how to get a regular mattress down into the space, but found a sleep number bed was the perfect fit. It came apart and we could put it back together in place. Getting big things in and out of the tug is always a challenge, the doors are not normal house door size, they’re a bit on the small size. When we brought in the gas range, it had to come in through a hole in the cabin ceiling that will someday be a nice skylight hatch.

We then built in a hanging locker (boat for closet), a six drawer dresser (using that old desktop that was leftover when we built the settee) and shelves with doors. Plenty of storage for clothes and linens.

One of the most challenging aspects of renovating the tug as a live aboard was what to do about the toilet in the head. The toilet that was in the boat when we bought it was plumbed to flush directly out of the boat. Not only was that really gross, but it was also very illegal. To install a marine black water system would have been difficult, there was no way to get a decent sized black water tank down into the engine room (remember those small doors, the hatch down into the engine room is even smaller) and paying someone to come pump us out every week just didn’t sit well with me. We could have installed a waste water treatment system, but that was really expensive and possibly not totally legal in our no discharge area of the ship canal. After much research I came up with the idea of installing a dry composting toilet. My husband was not thrilled with the idea, but he couldn’t come up with a better plan, so……..

The commercial units available at that time were a bit expensive, but I found a DIY option that turned out to be inexpensive, easy to build and works very well. My husband is now a complete convert and we plan on replacing the marine head on our sailboat with a dry composting toilet.

We also replaced the large vanity with a smaller unit and did some upgrades on the plumbing fixtures.

We bought the boat in September of 2009 and moved on board July 1st, 2010. While renovating our new home we try to be green, using salvaged materials as much as possible. I joke that we should have named the tug “Craigslist” since that’s where we find most of our materials, especially old growth lumber for replacing the decks. We also shop all the re-use and salvage yards in the area. Our carpet tiles in the salon and subway tiles in the kitchen came from the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. I made lights in the galley from old coffee cans and just finished painting a floor cloth for the galley from a scrap of vinyl flooring.

During the time we were building in the living spaces, we were also working on the plumbing, replacing old PVC pipe with pex pipe and putting in new freshwater filtration system. Our water comes from a heavy duty garden hose that runs down the dock, the electrical is all household 110v that also comes from the dock. My husband and I work well together, we design everything as a team, he does most of the woodworking (he just likes doing it more than I do) and I do the majority of the painting and varnishing (I hate painting a bit less than he does). We love living on our tug, we find we have plenty of space and being able to live on the water is amazing. Life should be an adventure, right? Sometimes it’s work, but it’s almost never boring.

Juliann Tallino
www.Tallinophotography.com

These boats featured here are a little wider than many of the narrow boats out there. These are traditional style widebeam canal boats. They feature accommodations for a whole family. Here is what Moonraker Canalboats says about their narrow boat holidays.

medusa floor plan

If you desire peace and quiet you can moor up in the countryside, miles from anywhere, with just the wildlife and the sky for company. If you prefer, at one of the many canal side pubs you can have a hearty meal, a pint and some conversation with your bed just feet away. Maybe a fine restaurant in one of the towns or cities along the canal? The choice is yours.

From the moment you cast off, you’re in a different world. You can go where you want, when you want, at your own pace. The most glorious countryside England has to offer unfolds before you, all the bewildering variety of wildlife is at your fingertips and yet all the comforts of home are right there with you.

There is so much to see and do on a canal holiday and narrow boating is simple. Push the lever forwards to go forwards and backwards to stop or reverse. The tiller controls the left and right bit and that’s it!

So they are great for holidays, how about living in one full time? Many people in Great Britain do make their homes full time in narrow boats and enjoy the mobile lifestyle of living on the water. Narrow boats are known to be very expensive and they are if you buy them brand new. Most new ones that I found on the internet ranged more than 100,000 pounds. However, I did some research on the used market and found that they ranged from around 20,0000 pounds to 80,000 pounds. So like any type of home there is quite a range in price.

While we were in Bath, my son and I walked the Avon and we discovered several narrow boats in need of some work. I imagine if approached the owners would be willing to bargain on a reasonable price. Narrow boats are not available in the U.S. but one person I talked to mentioned that they could be brought in, you would purchase one in Great Britain and have it shipped to you in the U.S. So if this style of living fits your new home dream, I would suggest that you go try one out for a “holiday” week or two and then you can decide if this is the life for you.

Their comprehensive and beautiful website profiles their living and working on the boat with a child in tow. They purchased the Spindrift in the San Francisco Bay area, and are living there until they can get the boat ready to sail down to Mexico. They purchased the boat for around $40,000 with money they saved up while working, and are doing much of the boat repairs themselves. For additional income Pat also does some day trading and they have written a book on their around the world sailing adventure.

The Schultes emphasize that they plan on keeping their lives simple by not buying a lot of stuff, TVs, cell phones, insurance or a lot of toys and clothes for their children. They are proud that Ouest will grow up on the water rather than in front of a television.

Photos Courtesy of bumfuzzle.com

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

When Teresa Carey is sailing she knows just where all her energy comes from and where it’s going. “My solar panel charges my battery monitor and I have to keep an eye on that battery monitor because when it reaches a certain point I have to start shutting things off.”

She has just a 130 watt solar panel – about 30 times less wattage than the average household- so she keeps electronics to a minimum: a VHF radio (for communication), an icebox (no freezer), a computer, a GPS and a boombox (for sunny days only). Besides solar and her sails, she uses some non-renewable energy: diesel for a small engine and propane for her stove.

She pumps her own water for use (and it’s cold). She takes overboard, or bucket, baths (in the video she washes her hair for the first time in 16 days). She fixes things when they break. But she doesn’t complain, in fact, she prefers it this way. “It’s more authentic.”

In this video, Teresa shows us how she meets her basic needs: water, energy and reading the elements (tides, wind, storms) in order to stay alive and reach her destinations (in this case, the Bahamas).

Video via faircompanies.com

When Teresa Carey lost most of her possessions in a house fire years ago, she felt liberated.  “I didn’t miss a thing. It was almost like a burden lifted off my shoulders.”

This was the first step toward a more minimalist lifestyle. The second motivating catalyst was her decision to life aboard her sailboat. Before making the move she began to downsize her stuff keeping only what would fit in her car. When she finally made her move to her 27 foot sloop she had given away or sold the majority of her belongings.

Today, Teresa lives on her sailboat Daphne with no flush toilet or shower, an icebox for a refrigerator, no television and few electronics. She doesn’t see it as a sacrifice, but as an opportunity to live a bigger life unfettered by her possessions.

In this video, Teresa gives us a tour of her boat and shows us a few days in the life of a liveaboard.

Video via faircompanies.com

Sami Rintala and Dagur Eggertsson’s work has been featured all over the world and they pride themselves on designing with a balance between man and nature. Many of their designs incorporate nature as a major element, but also have a modern, industrial feel to them. Their tiny homes in Norway, Italy and Thailand use nature as part of the design.

Boxhome

The Boxhome in Norway (first photo, above) is a 19 square meter (205 square feet) dwelling with four rooms covering the basic living functions: kitchen with dining, bathroom, living room and bedroom. This house was built to show fellow Scandinavians (who are starting to prefer larger homes) that a small pre-fabricated home can be more energy and material efficient.

Cabinet Home

The Cabinet Home in Italy is a 28.5 square meter home with a 10 square meter garden (306 square feet and 107 square feet). It is constructed of wood and formed as a set of large steps from the ground towards the sky. It was created to receive rain and sunshine from above and to use these elements to create atmosphere and energy. On the ground level are the social spaces with a kitchen and dining room that open to a garden that collects rain water. The first floor is a living room or library and the top floor bedroom has a view to the sky. The exterior is white to reflect the sunshine while the interior is dark so the owner can escape from the brightness and heat of the outdoors. The entire house can be detached into three container-sized units and transported to its final location.

Library in Thailand

I thought this beautiful, natural design would make a wonderful home for a warm climate. This orphanage library in Thailand was built by Norwegian architecture students over the course of two weeks. The task was to use local materials and building techniques to create a building that would solve the problems of education in the orphanage the best possible way. At the same time, natural ventilation systems and sunshades were studied and introduced into the building. The library is made of natural lava stone, concrete bricks, wood and bamboo.

Other Projects

The Luoto is a family of space elements. The initial container becomes a mobile table and evolves into a multifunctional, two-level structure that is able to host different activities like studying, introspection and relaxation. The Luoto is mobile and can be opened or closed.

These floating saunas in Russia are conceptual houses for use as emergency shelters during a flood or other natural disaster. They can be used as a shelter for 3 to 6 people and can be built within several days.

This floating sauna in Norway is anchored in the middle of a fjord with the winter sun coming in through transparent walls. Access to the sauna is by boat and users can descend into the fjord water for an icy dip through a hole in the floor.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Bryan Lowe ordered a copy of my book “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks…” a ways back, and as in many fortunate cases with those who have done the same, it became a common ground on which we began emailing back and forth on our love of tiny shelters/houses, and more specifically, shantyboats. Bryan too, is Harlan Hubbard obsessed (I’m telling you READ “Shantyboat”- its pretty amazing/gutsy).

Well, back on track, it only seemed fitting to grab an interview, for all to read, from a guy who actually runs the blog http://www.shantyboatliving.com, so here you go….And thanks to Kent Griswold, for helping to spread the word as well, and to the many other friends that are part of this whole community (can I get a “Whoa Bundy!?”). Ahem….cough….bad eighties references aside, here’s our “yap session”…..

Background Information: Hi, my name is Bryan Lowe. As for a little backstory on me, my grandfather built himself a couple of boats, most likely 17 to 24 foot GlenL designs that he used for fishing all over the western US. My father built the house I grew up in, all seven of us, which also included a “garden room” made from scrap lumber and windows from a tear-down as well as a blacksmithing set up in the backyard. I grew up thinking building stuff is what you do, and it’s a given that you try even though you don’t know how. My dayjob is as Program Director for KING FM, the classical radio station In Seattle, a job where I spend much time in concert halls and fundraising dinners. At night, in my other life, I am much more “shanty” in my approach, driving an old meter maid scooter and build shantyboats in my garage.

Deek: Now Bryan since you drop the self-describing term “shanty”, aside from “WHY “shantyboating?”, is there a certain criteria by which a structure can be called a “shantyboat”. Is there much of a difference from them to “houseboats”? Its rudimentary, but to some reading, there might be some confusion that needs alleviating as there seem to be thin lines of definition between the two.

Bryan: Well, In the dictionary shanty means a small crudely built dwelling, so a shantyboat would therefore mean a crudely built boat, and that is a part of it, up to a point. No shanty has gold plating, literally or figuratively. These are simple craft, homebuilt by untrained builders, with an eye toward extended stay, such as your life allows. For a few, it’s living aboard in some backwater full time. For most of us, we build our simple craft and grab as many weekends as we can, always dreaming of a future time with expanded shantyboat living. The line between houseboat and shanty is always subjective. There are a few givens: you can buy a houseboat but you can’t buy a new shantyboat. A houseboat can be built with virtually unlimited resources, but a shantyboat almost requires a little pragmatic scrounging. And finally, there is intent. Are you trying to recreate a home that just happens to be on the water, or create a homebuilt replica of a commercially built houseboat? Shantyboats aspire to a different aesthetic. They can be cute, they can be painted, they can be cozy, but there must be no mistaking them for commercially built. A shantyboat is handcrafted by it’s owner, with care, with affection, and with a decidedly pragmatic streak! Shantyboats are square, they have edges, with no effort to make it more aero or hydro dynamic. In the end it’s like porn. You know one when you see one, without doubt.

Deek: Lets keep this PG Bryan! Kidding, kidding…Now give us a little bit on the set-up, and specs of your own, self-built shantyboat project, and the impetus and story behind it? Is this soemthing you designed?

Bryan: My Escargot is an 18 foot long by six foot wide box, designed after the canal barges of England and France by retired University of Washington Architecture professor Phil Theil. Phil likes pedal powered boats, and this one was no exception. But when I built it I was the first to leave the pedal power off. It just wasn’t practical. After I took him for a spin he was convinced, and everyone of his larger designs since has included an outboard. Mine is a 6hp 4-stroke that moves it at about 7mph. I built it in my driveway with minimal tools, and with treesap and rain creating something of a mess of it at times. By nature I am not a detail guy, and my life doesn’t really allow it, with boat building time usually grabbed for just a few minutes whenever possible after work and parenting. My boat isn’t straight and I’ve never gotten around to that final detail work, but it works and I have used it for scores and scores of nights in small rivers around the NW. It has a head, a rudimentary kitchen, a “living room”, and comfortable sleeping room for a couple. There is a small deck or seating area at each end.

Deek: Have you made any long trips or stays onboard?

Bryan: I built it to explore the backwaters, but without a boat I wasn’t sure where I could go. I have a wealthy friend who took me up in his airplane and we scouted out the Snohomish River and the sloughs at its mouth. It was perfect. Lots of snags, a couple of rundown marinas and at least 25 miles of water rarely used by most recreational boaters. I’ve spent dozens of nights there. I’ve also been on the Skagit River and it’s estuary just north of Seattle and on a few small rivers between Seattle and Portland, including a few on the edges of the Columbia River. The longest I’ve been aboard is a week, but I’ve done that many times.

Deek: Now aside from your own site http://shantyboatliving.com what are some other sources we can tap for information on these boats and/or available designs? I’ve been to The Duckworks Magazine site a bit, and have read all the Harlan Hubbard Shantyboat books- which I can’t recommend highly enough- but what else is out there? It seems a VERY untouched/underground movement.

Bryan: It is untouched by the mainstream, but the Yahoo shantyboat group I founded is getting close to 1000 members. THAT group is the best resource there is, for there are a good number of folks there who are living the life or heavily into the dream. And they won’t tell you it can’t be done, or argue whether it’s a shantyboat or not. These are good guys who understand the lifestyle and the dream. Those books you mention are must-read items. You’ll find inspiration on Youtube as well. Search google images as well. And then be sure to share what you are doing through our Yahoo group or with your own website. Be a part of the sharing.

Deek: So much like the tiny housing scene, its an open forum of people willing to help one another- that’s great- and the way it should be, rather than competitive. Now, what about codes, legal hassles, and neighborly/sea-worthiness concerns/complaints? Does creating and owning a shantyboat come with its own set of woes from lawmakers and local citizens, as say, the houseboating communities of Seattle have regularly seen?

Bryan: You must live beneath the radar, and that isn’t possible in the “nice” places in town. But I’ve never been hassled in any river I’ve been in, nor I have seen any of the authorities out there. Get a license if you fish, and that is about all they care about in the waters I hang out in. Don’t pour sewage overboard or leave garbage lying about. My boat is painted up like an english canal boat, or some think it uses Rastafarian colors, it doesn’t really blend in. I think there is strength in that. Most people come running to take pictures when I come around the bend. I feel I am a welcome part of their day. At night I never park where I can be seen from a home, and I never stay in one place too long. Keep your boat small, keep it clean, add a bit of color through flags or banners, and then wave and smile.

Deek: So basically, keep things clean, friendly, and don’t mount any canons onboard. Got it. What’s next on the project slate for you? Or “trip” slate? Any planned once the warmer weather returns?

Bryan: Well, aside from many things, I’ve also started a Micro-shanty project, a boat just 8.5 feet long and 4 feet wide. It will sleep one and includes all the basics in one little craft, with room enough to read, to write, cook, fish, and explore. I’m a big fan of keeping it small. The bigger you get the more complicated your life will be. I’ve additionally planned a small boat get-together on the sloughs of the Snohomish this Summer and invite anyone to join me. True to the shantyboat style any boat will do, though be sure it doesn’t draw much water and can handle hitting a snag or two. Heck, It can be a rowboat with a 2 by 4 holding up a canvas tent. We never go faster than idle, we don’t drink in excess, we must be self containted, as there is no land to pitch a tent, and we must have no plan other than to live the shantyboat lifestyle for a week. Learn more at WalterMittyAC.com, another site I’ve made, where we talk about adventures for regular folks. Its The Walter Mitty Action Committee.

I’m also working on a book not unlike what you’ve done with tiny architecture, though without the artistic touch, as I have no talent for drawing. It will be a book about the lifestyle and how to do it. Self publishing, most likely, this Summer. If you have any advice I’d be delighted to hear it! Any readers of this too.., Thanks so much Deek!

Floating Retreat
This floating guest house is nestled among a community of eclectic houseboats on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. The project was designed to work as a part-time residence for a couple’s use while their main floating home is being built. After moving into the main house, the guest house will become a vacation retreat for visiting family and friends.

Big Ideas With Small Spaces
We had to deal with the marina’s very restrictive rules for a guest house size. The marina restricts the size of a float to 18’x34’ and restricts the maximum height above the water to 15’-6”. The fire code requires perimeter access on all sides of a structure, and with the inclusion of an exterior deck, we only had a 14’-9” x 22’-6” (332sf) outside perimeter structure footprint to work with. Not much room for the owner’s desire for a self-sufficient dwelling, including a kitchen, bathroom, dining, living space and sleeping loft.

The design makes the most of its limited space and uses various design techniques to create a feeling of spaciousness. The house feels much larger and more spacious than its 433 sf. The careful design avoids uncomfortably tight spaces. You don’t bump your elbows against the walls and the scale doesn’t make you feel you are too big in a small space. The guest house can even handle extra guests. The dining booth can comfortably seat up to five and the couch coverts to a bed, accommodating two additional overnight visitors.

We Started With A Good Foundation
We constructed a concrete float for the guest house. Like a good foundation, it has a substantial feeling and carries the comfort of knowing it will require only minimal maintenance in the future. Concrete floats are rare in the Portland area, but the common practice of building log floats is beginning to be questioned with all the maintenance issues and the diminishing number of available quality logs.

Showering Meditation And A Cozy Place To Sleep
A skylight strategically placed above the shower illuminates the green glass tile. Combined with the warm grey colored cement shower pan, the space feels peaceful and serene. The cozy loft has just enough room to crawl up into bed. This bedroom and built-in shelving has a feeling of protection under the eaves, with a view looking out over the water.

The Natural World Surrounds
Although downtown Portland is minutes away, the location feels like you are on a constant nature retreat. Ducks, turtles, beavers, bald eagles and osprey inhabit the local environment. Daylighting is constantly changing as sunlight dances off the water. The corrugated metal ceiling catches the reflected light from the abundant windows and mimics the rippling water outside.

M Skaffari/Flickr

The famous Sausalito floating homes community has a history that stretches over a century. During the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s improvised floating homes made from scrap wood, old tugboats, elegant ships and even old Pullman cars were built by professional artists, and since the dock areas were so small, most of the floating homes stayed small. Some of these homes are now offered as vacation rentals and there are usually a few for sale. Some of the homes have names including the Taj Mahal, the Train Wreck and the Pirate.

Amy Butcher/Flickr

Michael Layefsky/Flickr

M Skaffari/Flickr

A paid walking tour of the houseboats in the Liberty Ship shipyards area and the yacht harbors of Sausalito is offered on Saturdays and Sundays by a local guide. During the tour you’ll also see a few of the battered survivors from the old era of improvised houseboats. Some docks are lined by beautiful flowers in containers that are tended by the owners as their “front yards”, and many of the homes are decorated with ship’s bells and wheels, barometers, compasses, fishnets, flags, pennants and ensigns, colored buoys, paddles and oars, decoys, and other nautical paraphernalia.

NorCal MLS

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]