Not all labors of love succeed. Some, like the 2,500-ton Aurora yacht, are destined for troubled waters. Bought by California resident Chris Wilson as a 1950s German vessel listed on Craigslist in 2008, the ship and its tech owner hoped for better days for the rusted-out boat. Wilson left no stone unturned in his attempt to turn the tables on this dilapidated vessel, aiming to transform it into a museum. He spent close to $1 million on renovations and even called the boat home for a decade.
Most of his time aboard Aurora was spent working on the 293-foot ship with his girlfriend, Jin Li. Little did he know that he would grow to love the ship, originally named Wappen von Hamburg, so deeply once he set foot on it. Wilson saw potential in the first significant passenger boat built by Germany after World War II and decided to refurbish its magnificent staircases and breathe life into the layout with renovations that took place in Rio Vista.
After all his efforts and nearly exhausting his life savings on the project, it must have been a rude shock to Wilson when a military tugboat sank next to the Aurora, making living aboard the Aurora a risky reality. Moving Aurora was also not a viable or affordable option. With a heavy heart, in October 2023, he and his partner made the painful decision to sell the vessel to an unnamed buyer.
The liner, which was used as a filming location in the 1963 James Bond film “From Russia With Love,” began sinking in May 2024, much like the military tugboat. Aurora started leaking diesel fuel and oil into the surrounding waterway, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. This pollution issue has now become a significant concern for the city of Stockton, which is struggling to find a way to move the sunken 2,800-ton ship to a salvage yard.
The task of refloating the ship and cleaning up 21,675 gallons of oily water and 3,193 gallons of hazardous waste is daunting, according to Jalopnik. The once-proud ship, with its multiple sun decks, Art Deco lounge, and 85 guest cabins, is now nearly submerged. The Coast Guard reported that attempts to contact the new owner have been unsuccessful. It may be a nightmare today for the taxpayers and possibly even for the new owner, but not for Wilson, who gave the ship his all and made it his home.
“I meticulously maintained that ship. I checked everything on it multiple times every day. We were on it all of the time… It just saddens me like nothing else,” he shared. “We absolutely loved our time with that ship,” Wilson added. “Selling it was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. It haunts me, and I lose sleep over it. I’m not happy about it.”
Another California man passionate about boats went so far as to build a 100-foot-long superyacht in his front yard single-handedly. Fortunately for him, the vessel, called Kaleidoscope, turned into a successful luxury charter.
