Man Builds Houseboat Smaller Than a Bathroom, Takes It on 12-Mile River Adventure
A houseboat small enough to fit in a pickup truck sounds more like a toy than a place to live. But YouTuber David Rule wanted to see just how much he could squeeze into 28 square feet. Once he finished building it, he had an even bigger idea.
Instead of testing the boat for a few hours, Rule spent three days living aboard it on Washington’s Pend Oreille River. His homemade vessel, named the Tinytanic, would carry him 12 miles through a remote canyon to a waterfall.
At just eight feet long and 3.5 feet wide, the little boat had a bed, kitchen, refrigerator, and solar-powered electrical system. It also had a motor, though Rule would soon learn that keeping its battery charged was easier said than done.
Rule documented the project in an October 29 YouTube video, showing how he built the floating cabin and put it to use. His goal was to create what he believes is the world’s smallest houseboat, then find out whether it could handle a real trip.
Small Boat, Big Plans
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The idea came from fellow YouTuber Zack Fowler, who had built a 35-square-foot houseboat. Rule wanted something smaller, but he wasn’t willing to give up the comforts that made overnight trips possible.
He settled on an eight-foot platform supported by modular pontoons. Cedar framing and siding formed the cabin, while an aluminum roof helped keep rain out. The large front window gave him a clear view of the river.
Inside, the ceiling stood just 42 inches high. Rule could sit up but couldn’t stand, and his mattress took up most of the available floor space.
A narrow cabinet held a small refrigerator, butane stove, sink, and electrical equipment. Water came through a filtering pump, while a container collected wastewater.
Two 100-watt solar panels charged a 100-amp-hour battery. That battery powered the cabin’s equipment and a 30-pound-thrust electric trolling motor.
The rear opening also served as extra deck space. At night, Rule could zip a modified canopy panel shut to enclose his sleeping area.
Living on the River
With construction complete, Rule loaded the boat into his truck and headed to northeastern Washington. He launched near Metaline Falls, planning to follow the Pend Oreille River downstream to Peewee Falls.
The first surprise was how well the Tinytanic floated. Despite its tall cabin and narrow base, it remained level with Rule aboard.
Speed was another matter. The little motor moved the boat slowly, and wakes from passing boats made it rock more than Rule liked.
Still, the pace gave him time to explore. At Ledbetter Cove, he found a boat-access campsite with picnic tables, fire pits, and even a toilet.
That last detail answered a question several viewers raised in the Facebook comments about how someone could spend three days aboard a boat without a bathroom.
After swimming and trying a rope swing, Rule found a quiet place to spend the night. Dinner was a steak cooked on his tiny stove, although the heat quickly made the small cabin uncomfortable.
Power Runs Low
The next day brought a new problem. While fishing along the river, Rule checked his trolling motor and discovered the battery was running low.
To save electricity, he began switching the motor off whenever the wind and current could carry him downstream. Cloudy skies offered little help from the solar panels, and a brief rainstorm sent him into the cabin.
He continued fishing and exploring, eventually jumping from a cliff before finding another campsite near sunset. That evening, he cooked bass caught earlier in the day.
Overnight, a thunderstorm brought heavy rain. The river level also rose, changing the shoreline around his tied-up boat.
A Waterfall Finish
On the third morning, Rule set out for Peewee Falls. The weather improved, and he spent part of the final stretch fishing before entering the last canyon.
Eventually, the waterfall appeared around a bend. Rule had reached his destination after three days and 12 miles aboard the Tinytanic.
The falls, which Rule described as 233 feet tall, dwarfed the little wooden cabin floating below them.
“That is so much bigger in person than I was expecting,” Rule said as he approached the waterfall.
His complete build and river trip can be viewed in the original YouTube video.
