REBUILDING THE SHANGRI-LA
The Shangri-La was built in 1960 by the Roamer Steel
Boat Division of the Chris-Craft Corporation in Holland, Michigan. In 1978 she was completely rebuilt and recondition.
In 1990, owner Frank Welti refitted the Shangri-La with new engines, transmissions, repainted the hull and refinished the
outside brightwork. In 2006, Frank and then co-owner Kenny Sallee again repainted the hull and refinished the outside brightwork.
Every place we go, people comment on how the Shangri-La is such a beautiful old classic.
But the years have been hard on the Shangri-La and it's time
to completely rebuild and refurbish the ol' girl. So in August 2008, the Shangri-La was hauled from the water,
as we do each year, and we started a complete renovation.
The renovation project is not to bring her back to what she was in
1960, but to make her better and bring her up to date. The window frames around the cabin has started to rot, all the cabin
windows have been sealed shut with silicone. Some of the windows have been replaced with plexiglass and others are cracked.
The rudder stuffing boxes leak and the wiring is a mess. There are some spots in the steel hull that are questionable.
The renovation project will include rebuilding all the cabin window
frames and installing tinted tempered glass that will slide open with window screens. The old vinyl/canvas covering over the
cabin and cockpit will be replaced with fiberglass. The cabin interior and galley will be rebuilt by adding a shower to the
head, more cabinet space, a larger refrigerator, marine air-conditioning, a microwave/convection oven, a thermopedic mattress
in the V-birth and all the painted interior walls will be stripped or veneered over and varnished. The cockpit decking will
be re-covered using a maintenance free synthetic teak called NuTeak. All the electronics and engine gauges will be replaced
with state of the art communications and navigation electronics and digital gauges. Any weak spots in the steel hull will
be cut out and replaced. A small marine generator will be installed.
We expect this renovation project to be completed over a course of
3 to 5 years during the spring and summer months costing $20,000 to $30,000.
Our goal with this project is to renovate the Shangri-La
as a liveaboard cruiser for us during the spring and summer months as we cruise to different ports in the Great Lakes. We
will be posting pictures of our renovation project as the work progresses on our renovation blog.
Phase 1: Rebuild cabin sides and fronts with cutouts
for aluminum framed windows with tinted tempered glass with sliders in the 4 cabin corners; remove vinyl canvas covering cabin
top and fiberglass. COMPLETED
Phase 2: Remodel cabin interior by adding shower room,
new cabin sole, cabin ceiling, apartment size refrigerator, new counter tops in galley and head, build cabinet with drawers
for clothing storage, refinish walls, cabinets and bulkheads with varnish wood, Install swivel barrow chair seating and replace
the V-birth mattress.
Phase 3: Replace cockpit windows, remove vinyl canvas
covering hard top and fiberglass, refinish cockpit woodwork, replace deck covering.
