Chris Willson, a man who purchased a massive cruise ship through Craigslist and spent a million dollars on its restoration, has no regrets about his decision.
Back in 2008, Chris discovered a historic cruise ship listed for sale on Craigslist and embarked on a mission to restore it, with the vision of transforming it into a museum.
Originally from Utah, Chris lived on the ship while it was docked in the California Delta, as he worked on its restoration.
The cruise ship, initially known as Wappen von Hamburg, was the first major passenger liner constructed in Germany after World War II. However, the restoration venture faced numerous challenges from the beginning.
By 2012, Chris had made significant progress on the 293-foot ship, which he renamed Aurora.
He shared with CNN: “I think we had 10 areas solidly restored and refurnished meticulously. These were kind of major areas. So we were pretty proud of that.”
Chris estimated that he invested over $1 million of his own money into the restoration, in addition to receiving small donations.
Ultimately, he had to part with the ship, selling it for a nominal $20 to a volunteer mechanic.
After a military tugboat that had been docked near Aurora sank and caused a ‘pollution issue’, Chris made the difficult decision to sell the ship, as relocating it could have cost ‘a million dollars’.
“We absolutely loved our time with that ship. [Selling it] was probably the hardest thing I’ve done in my life,” he said. “It haunts me and I lose sleep over it. I’m not happy about it.”
After dedicating 15 years of labor, the ship experienced an even more significant setback.
A hole developed in the ship.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office reported that Aurora was ‘sinking’.
The post mentioned: “It has been determined the ship has suffered a hole and is taking on water and is currently leaking diesel fuel and oil into the Delta Waterway.
“Our Boating Safety Unit and ground units are currently on scene coordinating efforts to contain the spill.”
Reports indicate that contractors disposed of everything on Aurora into trash bins, and the identity of the current owner remains unclear.
Despite the misfortune, Chris holds no regrets.
He shared with Business Insider: “The whole project morphed into something really cool for a long time. The knowledge I gained from that ship is quite impressive. I would have stayed out there and been part of that boat forever.
“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.
“It was time to move on and start another project.”
This year, Chris revealed that he was offered a 300-foot sailboat, but he intends to “stay on land for a while.”
He remarked: “I’m now looking for something like a theater or perhaps an old church to be my next project — something historically significant with some character.”