The 62' SponsorShip launches with a BIG SPLASH

After three years of rebuilding, Team BIGFISH and the folks at SeaBrook Harbor launched the 62' SponsorShip just before Mardi Gras.


just in time to host the wedding of Johnette and Fred.
 

She still has a fair amount of finishing work on the inside,

but she sailed flawlessly and then made an overnight trip on Alligator point in Lake Borgne.

The launch, the wedding, and the overnight trip were a lot of fun. Special thanks to the gang over at SeaBrook Harbor, we couldn't have done it without them.

Looking a LOT Better!

I still have a fair amount of finishing work to do, but the 62' "SponsorShip"
is coming along nicely. We are polishing up the exterior, running a few more wires, closing her up so we can start on the insides. The doors are even under construction by Team BIGFISH's naval architect, maritime counsel, and finish carpenter Justin Simpson. Even our good friends at SeaBrook seem to feel like we over achieved on the resurrection, I mean renovation of this hull.

Dropping Her in For the First Time

Finding Her Water Line

Danica & CT at Launching

She Passed all Tests, Now let's Finish Her Up!

She will sail soon

Lot still to complete the BIGFISH 62. But a full time crew is working Mon thru Fri.

Almost Ready to Glass

The houseboat's exterior frame is just about ready to glass. I am waiting for a few days of hot weather to dry the wood a bit and then we'll get at least one layer on. Next week I am trying to get the old BIGFISH charter boat "the original" set next to this one and start moving motor brackets and "cannibalizing" parts. Lots of work, but making progress. This shot was taken after a long day of fishing and work on the boat as I left Seabrook.

Plans for the Suwanee 62

The pics may be hard to read, but they are the plans I have for the houseboat. If you have questions or comments, email me at CT3@thebigfish.net. I can send a PDF of more detailed and readable details.

The forward doghouse will be a masters quarters where a couple can have a private room with a full bath.

As the plans move aft, there is a full sized lower bunk and single upper bunk in a semi private room. The head will have a door in the main salon that will hold a full/single bunk on the starboard side, a single/single bunk on the port side and a couch on that side as well that can convert into a single bunk. Along the starboard aft side of the cabin is a galley with a wall mounted flat screen TV.

Plumbing and wiring will be kept relatively simple. Steering and throttle controls will come down through the interior wall of the head and travel aft through the bilge area.

Re-Framing the Suwanee 62

With a lot of help from friends, I have torn the old cabin apart, and without having to remove the roof of the structure, I have reframed the cabin and replaced the decking. From the bow of the boat to the stern end of the cabin the exterior is just about ready to start fiber-glassing.

The cabin of this boat was HUGE, but the back deck seemed limited in size. I chose to move the back wall of the cabin about 4 feet forward. Ultimately, this created a huge back deck without compromising the space I wanted on the inside. One way I planned to gain space in the cabin, is to not put a steering station down below. The boat will have a large flying bridge and only one helm. The design will allow for a below roof, helm to be added later if needed.

Suwanee 62' The Beginning

The Suwanee 62 was found in Lake Conroe, Texas. The boat was confiscated as a nuisance vessel for being dilapidated and abandoned. I purchased the boat for the fines and fees that had accumulated while in the custody of the the San Jacinto River Authority.

The story is that the boat was commissioned by a Texas University as a research vessel. The owner of the boat when it was confiscated was a university teacher in Tennessee.

With a lot of effort and a little creativity, I had the boat loaded and trucked to New Orleans and the Seabrook Harbor Boat Yard (Great Guys!).

The boat sat for a while in the yard, the charter business was busy and my wife Danica and I were renovating a house and preparing for our wedding.

Once Seabrook had the boat on blocks, I had a dumpster brought in and started tearing her apart.

Suwanee 62' Renovation

A Project for the Brave

Along with Team BIGFISH reports from Hopedale, Breton Sound and coastal Louisiana, I have a project that may be of interest to boat enthusiasts.


I purchased a 62' Kenner Suwanee houseboat. The boat has a bit of a history. I am working to rebuild the boat and re-establish its history. I will post the progress along with pictures as I work. I encourage any suggestions and comments on the boat. This is how I found the boat. I will post the progress of the project as I can.