I was having a coffee-laden internal conversation with myself the other day, and a long-running idea kept coming back to me....As most micro dwellers are living on the DL anyway (in the permissive backyards of others, etc), why not simply park a good-sized, dry-docked sailboat with a cabin somewhere, and live in THAT? Most sailboats in the 23' and beyond range are outfitted with small cabins, sleeping berths, and micro-toilers, so why not? Better yet, I can't tell you how many FREE sailboats- some HUGE ones too- I've seen on craigslist.org. Fix these suckers up a little, customize them, enclose some of the deck area, and you might have yourself a nice little, unique, place to call home, even if just for awhile. Beyond that, as long as you're not in a hugely congested area, most people might not know, or care, AND boat owners park their winterized, or ununsed boats in their own yards anyway, so you're not going to stick out like a sore thumb anywhere. If I were straight out of college, single, and had this idea, this might be the route I'd take- especially in today's economy, where living cheaply might be one of the few means of survival.
More or less, boats ARE tiny homes/houses, and while a '23 foot cabin might be a little cramped, keep in mind boats do come in all shapes and sizes. Also, as more and more people seem to be cutting back or, sadly, losing their jobs these days, you're seeing more and more very affordably-priced used boats on the market.
'Just though, whether a good or bad idea, that this might be an interesting enough topic or subject for discussion or comments....
This boat here doesn't so much apply to the example/discussion, but it could easily be converted into a houseboat, tiny home, or shantyboat with minimal work.
Speaking of tiny floating homes n' shantyboats, again, I feel the BEST and most inspirational tale/tome/book out there, is "SHANTYBOAT" from Harlan and Anna Hubbard- a factual account that reads like the catchiest of novels. We'll blog on other decent and recommended houseboat and tiny house books soon as well.
-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen
