Low-rent liveaboard life in high-rent San Francisco Bay
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
- Fiver Brown is a musician and the kind of guy who has worked as a rodeo clown and a sushi photographer, so he couldn't really afford to buy a home in his current hometown of Sausalito with an average home price of 2.2 million dollars. So he bought a boat.
Technically, he bought a floating home. It's a former WWII lifeboat that had been converted into a small home and docked at one of the town's historic houseboat communities.
It's only 13 feet by 37 feet (481 square feet), but the views are unbeatable. He watches stingrays and birds from the galley/kitchen and from his lofted bed he can peer down at his floating neighbors and the hills of Sausalito above.
His home is paid off- though he still pays a monthly slip rental as part of the Galilee Harbor Coop- and he's living right where he wants to be, in a town known for its arts scene.
He and his band- Fiver Brown and the Good Sinners- perform regular gigs in both Sausalito and across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Fiver also uses his small home as a place to write music and as headquarters for his local label, Floating Records.
The docks here have always been a sanctuary: first for refugees of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and later for beatniks and hippies. In 1967 Otis Redding wrote the first verse of "Sitting on The Dock of the Bay" while staying on a floating home here. Stewart Brand of the Whole Earth Catalog still lives here on a former tugboat.
In this video, Fiver shows us his digs, including a walk-in closet and bathroom renovation in-progress, and performs one of his recent songs aboard his gently rocking maritime crib.
Fiver Brown's music: www.myspace.com...
Original story here: faircompanies.c...
@gdrewpowers They are hooked up to the city's sewer system (as well as power grid) so there is no discharge into the bay.
One thing I wasn't able to edit into the video is the fact that the community Fiver lives in is a cooperative. So he did have to pay to buy into it, but the cooperative also has worked with the city over the years to negotiate their right to live there, as well as things like sewage and power. They also have community bathrooms and laundry (and even a clothesline).
Nice video. Great information about a unique lifestyle.
Your singing reminds me of Jerry Jeff Walker, like your home it has a real sense of comfort to it.
Keep on keepin'on.
Namaste ✌👣💜
Life is about surrounding yourself with things that you love and things that make you happy. So if this guy chooses to surround himself with 'junk', as some people have stated, then let him! As for me, I love this home. It is loved, full of character, reflects the owners' personalities and is full of life! Imagine if everyone's house looked the same...how boring life would be! Thank you for another brilliant video, Kirsten!
I actually liked this. Dude, you got a great voice.... Living the dream..!
Very cool
I think this IS breath-taking!! WOW!! Thank you Kirsten for sharing this awesome boat & guys' life style m'friend!! Kudozzzzzzzzz!!
O fthe hundreds of videos of yours that I've watched. This is my favorite. Now I need to make it come true for me. The thing of it is I have to be open to all possibilities. I can't just limit myself to what you've shown me.
I have to say that the outside is definitely 60's funky, but the inside is magical..and Fiver is living the life...Love.
I like his house. It may be a little cluttered and junky, but it's just his style. Not everyone likes contemporary and clean. And his singing is actually really good in a country singer way.
I lived aboard my ship for 10 years with wife & 3 kids. The best 10 years ever.
Aubrey? Its Dwayne from Christmas.
Yes two very talented guys. Looks great. Kirsten one of the things I love about your videos is, you bring the history of the place around where the houses are. Not only the place but the people and a snap shot of the history. Thanks
I lived on the Omphale in the Sausalito bay in '71. That was before they glammed it up. I used to pick up wood around the area for the fire burning stove. Funky, but really nice.
I like his music and life style. Seems like a great guy.
very kool. I visited the house boats in San Fran when working in Salinas Vally and once lived a motor yacht in Northland, New Zealand (where I'm from )for awhile, but it was nothing like what you have, good on you for doing things that you enjoy, much like myself.
Living on the water spoils you. I miss it. Glad to see some of the 1960s are still floating around somewhere.
I never had an idea that we can live it tht ways. thnks for uploading these video. Its an eye opening for people like us. Hats off to u
I've lived aboard boats for 18 years here on Lake Ontario. As a boater safety is always on your mind. A propane tank in the salon grabs my attention as a very dangerous thing. It should be outside of the cabin and not inside where a leaked propane gas will accumulate in the bilge and lead to a very big explosion. That dipped roof would be great for rain water run off,, but would suck if it had to deal with snow.
@@F2D2C2 I live on a 36ft fiberglass sailboat in the Toronto Harbour.
Cool video Fiver! Makes me miss my years in Sausalito(1976-81, Gate 5 and Gate 3...Arquez Boatyard).
Happy floating life for you and thanks for the great music!!
My step grandfather lives on his boat out in the delta, Stockton, Ca. Relaxed lifestyle!
...opinion...
I spent all my weekends and summers at my grandparents "ark" on Corte Madera creek in 50's and 60's. This brings back some fond memories.
But now when I leave my beach front condo that cost less than $200 K in Satellite Beach (no state income tax and afordable living) and go home to visit. I realize that I can never go back to overcrowded, overbuilt, Marin. The Marin I knew doesn't exist anymore...
He has an amazing singing voice.
Whoaaa!!! This looks like the space my girflriend and I were thinking about renting years back when it was on Craigslist!!! Good for this guy. I look from time to time and house boats available for kicks just to see what's out there.
Your very correct on leaving everything behind once you walk on to your boat.
So beautiful...So smart..So lucky! So happy for you..Great way to live! God bless!!:))
Gezzz 13 foot beam and 37 foot length! Intresting, nice boat.
California is not going to let this "loop hole" last forever. I hope he enjoys it while he can!
All marinas have already been cut way back on liveaboards. Most limited to under 10pr marina. Where is the past they could have whole areas of up to 50 or more spaces for liveaboards. Today it's just a few
2xtream Hey thanks for commenting! i wanted to show this video to my wife but i wasnt sure what it was called. :)
Also im sad to have been right on this one. I wish i wasnt.
@@xcvsdxvsx what's the loop hole?
What’s happening now?
Damn fkn Hater
Great boat. A lot of wasted space though.
Now that's an awesome tiny house.
Oh Kristen, thank you for bringing these glimpses into the lives of others. They are inspirations:)
Lucky the City of Sausalito has not apparently be able to zone these moorages outta existence....likely because they are beyond the low-tide mark....SF Bay and San Diego Bay offer protected places to anchor long-term.
Where I live on Maui, there are a handful of boats anchored off-shore at Lahaina, but reportedly in rough weather, getting to and from them via dinghy can be challenging....the small-boat harbor at Mailia only has @ 24 slips...
Not having grass and bushes to cut endlessly has a certain appeal...
Grass and bushes?What planet are you from?
He said he lives on Maui where the vegetation can take over. What planet are YOU from?
I really enjoyed your video. You inspire me, leaving me with a dream that I can make come true.
The docking cost must be high there too.
His boat probably has a water tank that he fills up with a hose, and most marinas have pump stations for waste tanks.
This is really, really inspirational.
Its such a beautiful living space.
@SpaceHeadMonkey Hm. It's less than a fifth the size of the average American home. Yeah, it does feel spacious inside. High ceilings and views help too.
this is really cool. Ive seen a website where you can rent out houseboats while you are on vacation. Kristen you do such a great job of reminding us that there are many ways to live simply if we just think outside of the box.
The roof of your boat looks like a hyperbolic paraboloid. If my memory serves me correctly the formula for your roof would be Z=((Y^2)/(B^2))-((X^2)/(A^2)): nice job.
david
I went and bought guitar!
Btw. Awesome habitat :)
My fingers already in pain and I'm still waiting for Californian sun ;)
To many of us living in the over-crowded, expensive UK this guy's boat looks luxuriantly spacious.
Thank you for posting the video!
His hull is going to rot one of these days. Terrible way to wake up.
Definitely needs a haul out yearly for new bottom paint.
Yeah it's funny how these people seem to neglect the costly process of maintenance...
That's an awesome lifestyle! Live in S.F. on a houseboat..your lucky man, u have what most people ( myself Included!) would love to have! Very Envious..
Now that's how it's supposed to be done. Relaxing on the water in your houseboat. Question though: What does one do when a shower needs to be taken? He mentions that he had a plumbing system installed, which is obviously necessary for said feature, but I didn't see any bathtub or shower room on that boat; only a toilet.
Awesome stuff livaboards! You keep me wantin'
I knew someone that lived there. She was a real cool lady. The people who can live like this are unique :)
Funky boat bro ; } Love it!! Nice lifestyle.. trying to save myself for a Formosa 41ft.
Housing in my city is woefully expensive & hard to find---but empty lots are cheap.
For that reason I turned a shipping container into a small house, and got a small empty lot to put it on. Its actually bigger than any apartment I've lived in---if I didn't make each room so big I could have slipped in a spare bedroom for rent / family. $3500 for a used shipping container, $4,600 for a lot, and about $2500 on materials to turn the container into a house.
$10,000 for a 1000sq/ft house = win.
@krl8814 You're right, he was lucky to get this spot. But I couldn't resist doing this story when I walked by and saw his small space. Most people aren't used to living in 480 sq ft and I like seeing how even something relatively small can look so desirable. And as a concept, this could be replicable at a lower cost in other locations where there isn't the demand for berth space.
Cool .... Even if I had lots of money and could live anywhere I would prefer to live in a space like this ..... I have never liked the cookie cutter homes most of us live in where the only thing different is usually the paint color.
this is so cool! i love the sea!
Love the tall windows.
This small houses are very interesting. You really don't have to live without the normal things today either. You could still have your modern items while taking up minimum space.
Love it! Love the music love the boat. One question where is the black water going to go from the toilet?
Susan Maguire it goes in the water the same place yours goes when yours goes in the sewer...
It is a generalization, but what I find most interesting in these videos, is that despite living in the same-sized spaces, you can tell who grew up with less vs more. Those that grew up with more or at one point had more than they knew what to do with, tend to really minimalize to enjoy the small space, it's about saving money and enjoying life. Those that grew up with or haven't had too much seem to still fall into the money trap of wanting more than they need, their spaces tend to need more tlc, tend to be cluttered, tend to be cheaply diy'd. The exception is the hippies, but they're a breed unto themselves
Awesome boat the rooftop looks like the roof over the l.a courthouse stage 👍🏽
Wow...that's cool, reminds me of the popeye movie. I think maybe the only person who like the sound of the wood creaking in the water lol
I'd be interested to know if this boat is still afloat and being used. It didn't look that well kept and maintained and this video was uploaded 2011, so I can imagine the deterioration could have caused irreparable damage. This would really be a shame, due to the unique shape and design.
I would stick a new fiberglass hull underneath kind of like they do with crappy old bathtubs that need to be redone.
Lifeboats are indestructible. The records will decay before the hull.
Shel Silverstien had a boat at gate 5.. Sausalitos had some Characters.. I still miss the Marin City Flea..
i'm glad you report on these different living situations. I'm also glad that other posters add more info to the story about what the true expenses are and "grandfather" clauses, etc.
you make sense in that it's "possible" to do this in a place where berth space is not a hot commodity. I wonder whether crime is a consideration.
Oh hell to the no! Shark infested, cold ass Bay Area...Affordable, yes... but by a major fault line.. I grew up in the Bay...stayed on my friends smelly-ass bitterly cold house boat..I live in HI now and still wouldn't live on a freakken boat where some tsunami could take me out. But thanks for sharing this video and reminding me of the key reasons why I'll never move back mainland!
--Sorry my Bay Family, much love...but I'll keep my hula skirt weather and high up on the rock =D
It looks a lot bigger than my bachelor apartment, and they have two people in it. The high ceiling really allowed them to practically double the space, very nice. I wouldn't like to see how it gets in a big storm though, isn't it the point of shelter to not shake along with the elements?
Wow this is so unique and awesome
i read the tie up fees are pretty damn expensive. you could tie an inflatable life raft to the docks there in Saulsalito and still have to pay the minimum rate of six hundred a month for the privilage.
the new Harry Chapin? I like his music! Talented man.
He’s a great singer. 👏 Does he have an album or songs on iTunes? (Btw it’s like the 3rd time I’ve seen this vid over the last few years 😆)
Declutter and a good cleaning and that would be an awesome home
With every video of these I see, it's actually starting to sink in.
If I could swim I would live there and a lighthouse mailbox 😊Thanks for the vidro.
Great. I love a boathouse.
I'm sure the boat slip is very pricey. Probably more than a nice apartment anywhere. I do like the boat and views
You say "only 13 feet by 37 feet (481 square feet)" like it's a bad thing! This would be AWESOME! :)
That is the coolest thing! I admire the space and the lifestyle....
This is awesome!
Your home is amazingly clever and I am quite jealous. The others are right though... no one should see this as a template for moving to the SF Bay area but rather as an example what's possible in a small and unusually shaped space in a non-traditional setting with recovered materials. The WHERE is your own thing... and the world is SLOWLY becoming more accomodating, often out of necessity, of these sorts of living arrangements.
I wish we had communities like this in Canada. They have over regulated and continue to marginalise live aboards of all shapes, size and design! Very sad, seeing as for us, it's a beautiful affordable lifestyle. ☮
@daydreamidealist I added a link to Fiver's music in the text (to his myspace page). He's a singer/songerwriter with a band as well.
He needs to clean, but it looks like a loft apartment..... very cool.
I'll be in SF Bay Area next week and I am highly interested in learning all I can about living aboard, I may move there. Is there any way I can meet up with you and talk?
Im so jealous right now. Wa. Super cool.
i believe he could have used the space alittle different. one thing that comes to mind is the closet .if he would have knocked down the wall in the closet removed the doors and changed up the closet to sit more flush it would give him space for a real nice bathroom or remove the bathroom and closet and use the space instead for a room.
Cool looking boat.
Stunning.
well done. Good luck and thank you.
love your voice
What happens when winter comes around? Does the water ever freeze over? If there is snow, does it affect you or your home in anyway? Other then that I think he lives in a pretty cool home, and best of wishes go out to him.
How much I'd rather live in this than in an apartment. But that financial worry is always holding me back..
makes lawn care and grass cutting easy i would think..lol...cool idea+
I have recently leaned towards waiting til my car is paid off before buying a motorhome but hopefully soon I will have better employment. And that happens January 2014. And if that does happen then I will stick with an apartment in the area in which I work. But if I dont find better employment by then I have thought of a 22-23ft motorhome and just park it in my normal parking space which is wide enough for it and sleep there during the week and drive home on weekends.
Your a really good singer.
i freakn love it , im on my way !
Love this.
I love your space. want to visit Sausalito soon! Are you still living there?
I love it cozy💝
Damn this is the shizzle!!
amazing find! The music nearly made me leave though
Prepper Babe ur a bitch
I lived on a Chinese junk in San Diego Bay on a mooring ball for several years. I paid $103 a month. Once a year, I had to have it inspected for seaworthiness.
No, the toilet flushes into a black water tank, which you then have a company come and empty, or take the boat to a place where you empty it yourself, just like an RV. It's illegal to dump it in the bay, although I guarantee you some people do it anyway. :-( I used to live like this, and I was paying 1200 a month in slip rent for a 38 foot boat, plus electric. Not really such a huge bargain.
i cant poop after hearing him sing lol
I like the house, but there are a few problems in it, first the boat house will get really shaky on a windy day, second, there is no cover in the window, people could just stare in. but overall, it is a nice house.
Hi all - I was walking along the Berkeley Marina - looking at all the boats and I was thinking how nice it would be to just stay on a small boat for a few days! Not to go out on the water - just relax on the boat! The last time I was on a boat - i slept like a baby. No parties - just me. Can someone tell me the best place to start? It could be anywhere in the Bay Area.
So nice!