I assume you meant a lot _less_ romantic with the buckets... and yeah it mentions in the article that he removed the head and sink to plug any holes in the hull in an effort to make it less sinkable. luxuries I myself would prefer greatly over a bucket, but I am also amazed at the cleanliness and state of repair of the boat. All the clutter seems so unsafe to me on vessel of any size or type. Keeping things clean and in good working condition I think would do a great deal to make it less sinkable. I am impressed with the use of the raspberry pi and the unusual/free lifestyle the guy seems to lead.
Source: I’ve traveled maybe 7,000 miles on a pretty small sailboat.