Man Buys Historic Cruise Ship on Craigslist – But the Restoration Dream Ends in Disaster

Christopher Wilson stumbled across a 1955 German cruise ship called the Aurora on Craigslist back in 2008, and, naturally, he did what anyone would do—fell completely in love and bought it.

Now, he’s embarked on an epic restoration project that’s turning heads (and breaking backs). Originally built as the first ship Germany was permitted to construct after World War II, Aurora isn’t just an old boat—it’s a floating chunk of history, and Chris is determined to save it for future generations.

Clearing Decades of Debris

“When we first got her, she was filled with absolute garbage,” Chris explained. With the help of a handful of friends, they cleared rooms full of debris, transforming them back into spaces you could actually recognise as the ship’s dining room.

He vividly remembers how satisfying it was as they cleared each room: “Every little bit we removed, you could just see the room coming back to life,” adding, “you could hear yourself echo a little more every time.”

Chris recalls the emotional moment they uncovered original decorative details hidden beneath piles of rubbish, realising just how special Aurora truly was. “It was pretty overwhelming,” he admits, describing the feeling of uncovering history piece by piece.

Tackling the Decks

One of their biggest challenges? Fixing the decks. Moisture had eaten holes into the steel, making the job seem impossible. “Everyone who saw it thought we couldn’t do it,” Chris said, recalling the countless nights he and his crew spent grinding, welding, and patching the extensive damage.

“The job took months and months. It’s still not finished,” he confessed, but their perseverance paid off dramatically. “Now, 95% of the deck doesn’t leak—it’s beautiful again,” Chris proudly adds.

The painstaking deck repairs also produced an unexpected result: a mountain of debris Chris jokingly called their “small mountain of slag,” symbolising months of back-breaking labour. Each summer, they continue welding sections of the handrails, slowly restoring the decks to their former glory. “We proved people wrong,” Chris proudly says, recalling the initial skepticism from visitors who saw the state of Aurora.

Repairing the Structure

Another major hurdle was tackling rusty, water-damaged base plates around the ship’s house structure. Chris describes meticulously cutting and welding new steel as “both physically exhausting and deeply rewarding,” particularly when the new marine paint finally stopped water intrusion. “It looked like it did when the ship was new,” he says, the pride evident in his voice.

Challenges Along the Way

Restoring the decks was one of the most daunting tasks. Severe moisture damage had led to extensive rust and holes in the steel, making restoration seem nearly impossible. Despite skepticism, Willson and his crew persisted, meticulously grinding, welding, and patching over months of hard work. “Now, 95% of the deck doesn’t leak—it’s beautiful again,” he had proudly noted.

They also painstakingly repaired water-damaged base plates, welding new steel and applying marine paint to halt leaks. One of his favourite restoration projects was transforming the ship’s lower entryway, once cluttered with tangled wires and crumbling concrete, into a pristine space that looked brand new.

Dream Turns to Nightmare

Unfortunately, the ambitious restoration was not sustainable. After a series of setbacks, forced relocations, and mounting expenses, Willson felt increasingly trapped by the project.

He eventually made the difficult decision to sell the ship to a new owner in October 2023 for a nominal sum of just $20 (£16), despite having invested between $1 and 2 million (£760,000 – £1.5 million) into it.

Sadly, the Aurora’s misfortunes continued. In May 2024, local authorities reported that the ship had begun to take on water, creating environmental issues at its mooring in Stockton, California. The vessel was finally lifted from the water near Vallejo, California, and is likely to be scrapped, marking a definitive end to Willson’s restoration dream.

Reflecting on his journey, Willson admitted feeling sadness but remained philosophical: “I’m pretty sad about the whole situation, but I believe things happen for a reason. Although I don’t regret a single minute of my time on it, I knew I needed to leave before I started to feel regret.”

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