Explore iconic houseboat of counterculture visionary for sale in Sausalito CA
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Stewart Brand lists his restored 1912 tugboat houseboat Mirene for $1.8M.
- Mirene features 64-foot frame, varnished wood interior, one bedroom and library.
- Sale includes 15' Boston Whaler, prime Sausalito berth, and optional adjacent houseboat.
Stewart Brand — the pioneering founder of The Whole Earth Catalog and a pivotal figure of the 1960s cultural revolution — has put his 1912 tugboat-turned-residence on San Francisco Bay on the market for $1.8 million.
Floating at 13 S 40 Dock in Sausalito, California, the “Mirene” has been home to Brand and his entrepreneur wife Ryan Phelan for more than four decades, according to Compass real estate.
The one-bedroom, one-bathroom vessel is really a living artifact with stories — and possibilities.
“Living in Mirene is like occupying an exquisitely crafted musical instrument,” Brand said in a statement emailed to The Sacramento Bee. “Driving her, the fly-bridge feels like the top of the world. It’s wonderful to live in a cozy home that at any moment can set out for adventure, and through the familiar kitchen windows you see wooded islands flowing by.”
Originally built in 1912, Mirene began life as a working wooden tugboat. The craft evolved through extensive and careful restoration into Sausalito’s most unique floating home. Brand, Phelan, and a contingent of Sausalito maritime craftspeople transformed Mirene from a working boat into a breathtaking houseboat with yacht capabilities, according to Compass.
Mirene sports a 64-foot frame, warm varnished wood interiors and inviting, thoughtfully appointed living space that has hosted not only friends and neighbors but the occasional luminary, according to Compass.
The property is “a highly unusual mix of modesty and majesty,” Compass listng agent Steve Sekhon said.
“It is located in a prime berth in the Sausalito Houseboat Community and yet has the ability, like no other houseboat, to disconnect from the berth and adventure around the Bay, along the San Francisco Waterfront and further afield,” Sekhon said. “It is a one-of-a-kind opportunity searching for the right person to become the new captain and steward of its next incarnation.”
Inside, Mirene epitomizes the passions of her owners: a gourmet kitchen for entertaining, a commodious library/salon perfect for contemplative retreat or raucous conversation, clever spatial organization, and elegant old-world charm.
Her berth offers jaw-dropping views of San Francisco. Her seaworthiness unlocks the option to travel anywhere from the Sacramento Delta to beyond the Golden Gate.
“Snug in her berth in the neighborly houseboat community or steaming out to cruise San Francisco’s waterfront and the Golden Gate Bridge, Mirene revels in the glamour of a working tugboat,” Brand, 87, said. “Mirene is as fit as she ever was. At 87, I am not. It’s time for younger owners.”
Not only does the sale include a 15’ Boston Whaler tender and a substantial berth, but buyers may also purchase an adjacent small houseboat for additional privacy.
“This is a rare opportunity for an adventurer who yearns to live outside the box, who can thrive in compact environs and appreciates the richness, texture, and energy of a free-spirited lifestyle,” Sekhon said.
Brand was named by NPR as the top influencer of the 20th Century. He has influenced visionaries like Steve Jobs, who said The Whole Earth Catalog “was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.”
