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Show I v .,r.T,r . .. "l". by LAURA HARRIS a 'v,, J" ' ' .. r. .. -- ' " i Til Houseboating IN Sausalito Few homeowners would consider water more vital to their house than land, but in Sausalito, Calif, (pop. 7,330), the 400 houseboat owners anchored in Richardson Bay prefer the water any day. For 120 yean new, houseboats have been a colorful and defining feature of the Sausalito landscape just north of San Fnncisca The town, founded in 1838 by Englishman William Richardson, was initially called Rancho Del Sausalito Ranch of the Little Willow Grove and remained mostly dormant until the 1870s, when the railroad came through, linking the town with the lumber empire further north. Soon much of San Francisco, the arks became emergency shelters for many homeless families. In March 1942, Sausalito again assisted in an emergency The U. S. Maritime Commission selected die small residential Bay area shipyard. community for a much-neede- d Marinship, as the yard came to be known, produced an extraordinary effort to aid die United States in wartime perhaps the proudest moment in Sausalito history. Using assembly-lin- e technology specially designed for Marinship, women and men recruited from all over the country built and hundred 13 Liberty cargo ships, 62 tankers, and ) 6 oilers, while outfitting and repairing 23 other vessels. And they did it all in a record-breakithree and a half years. The 20,000 workers brought to Marinship created a serious housing shortage, however. so a few ingenious workers set up housekeeping aloqg die shore in abandoned boats. After the wit; soldiers discharged from nearby military bases joined die residents. s, Sausalitos By the houseboat community was a mix mid-1960- people who seemed office-spina- d afar; Sanwlitu became a transportation junction, penf-itip-g from in proximity to the Golden Gate. As eady as the 1880s, Son Francisco families escaped to Sausalito to vacation, enjoying warm sunshine, calm breezes, and gentle tides from their aria the houseboat sty le of that era. Bur vacations weren't the only useful outlets for the houseboats. When the 1906 earthquake destroyed pil American Profile i 1 mix of rcMfctural community offers ng fruit . : i toiftrt coxy honnboit iCwywy Colorttf pottodflowwvinHiind . : ?., to embrace an expressively diverse look to their homes. But the "works ofart created in Richardson Bey wound up posing a health hazard. Officials offered a permanent berth in a new marina to any residents bringing their vessels up CD safety codes. Docks were built with hook-ufix water; gas, much-needand lines. sewer electricity, As with a legal residence, houseboat ownership includes mortgages, property taxes, and homeowners insurance. Though the responsibilities are similar to living on land, houseboat owners believe the benefits far outweigh the costs. nyln "Its a very seductive environment," says San Francisco native Larry Qineon. A lot of people who move here, including myself quickly find a way to work from home." Whenjim and Eve Lubalin decided to move fiom the East Coast ro be closer to their daughter; the far' thest thing from their minds was a houseboat. "Now we cant imagine ever living on land again," says Jim. A stroll along the public-accedocks becomes a walk through a garden that would rival any greenhouse. Containers of different size and design filled with trees, vines, and flowers line both sides of every dock. The private homes range from simplistic to ornate, with each floating horne expressing a personal nautical theme. "While we think of ourselves as unique," says Clinton, "you can see weve all got salt water in our veins." If youre interested in getting a peek at these floating wonders, every September residents open their doors in the name of charity. "It started in 1984 as a community relations of the tout: "Now event," says Jim Lubalin, our Open Homes Tour attracts about 1,200 visitors." Though only a few miles across die Bay fiom cosmopolitan San Fnnciscin, Swiss! ito has preserved ks small-tiow- n contentment. Residents don't move away wildlife iiabcindsnr, aodvisitotsrrtum.lt wouldn't be out of the ordinary to hear local expression of a dame area song, Ljft My Httrt nr SMkdito. ss fruit-beari- Laurm Harris is a JmUaa uriurfrm Salima, Cmlif ps EB Is, ed " A?CAL V' I ; ... - ;v Sausalito is just above San A Francisco.2 miles north of N r the Golden Gate Bridge. A v - i' ay irsMb a iil r-- . 1 v iiii m if -- .. v |
