Happy New Year!!

Truth Aquatics would like to thank everyone for the support through the previous year and wish you all a happy and prosperous 2006!

[UPDATE - August 29th]
The Conception was lowered into the water on Friday morning! She spent the weekend and will take the early portion of this week having adjustments made to the alignment of the engines and propellers. Then with the blessing of the Coast Guard during this week's sea trials the Conception will come back to Santa Barbara late in the day on August 31st! Labor Day weekend will be the first trip onboard the newly repaired vessel and mark the end of a very long five month salvage and re-building effort.

While we are all very excited to have the Conception back and running trip again I feel it is important to remember how we got to this day. For starters I would recommend that everyone read the original page, The Theft of the Conception. From feeling bewildered about the bizarre robbery to helpless and uncertain about whether the boat was salvageable, then finally the gratification of having the boat safely in the repair yard. This page makes the repair itself look easy when you think about the rocks and failed salvage attempts. We all know however that the repair, or re-build as it should be called, was extensive and all inclusive. Without Glen and others from Truth Aquatics working 10+ hour days, skilled shipwrights, and a number of volunteers working constantly for over four months we would never see the Conception back in Santa Barbara.

So for everyone involved in the repair, all the divers who's trips were cancelled, and all the people who showed support over the last five months, we at Truth Aquatics owe you a debt of gratitude and thank you for being understanding, thoughtful and supportive.[Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - August 24th]
I am so excited about this weeks update, I almost don't know what to say. All our projects are nearing completion, the boat has been painted, machinery in place, the boat is very close to being wet again. The crew is putting the final touches on what projects remain to be finished. The coast guard is busy thinking about sea trials. Well I am very happy to announce that the Conception will be lowered from the blocks she has spent the last 5 months on (almost to the day) into the water this Friday, August 26th! She will sit in the water for about two days to "settle" and get her machinery re-aligned. After a Coast Guard checkout the Conception will make its way back to her home in Santa Barbara next week!

I will be posting another update either late this week or early next with final details and pictures. [Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - August 15th]
We are getting closer and closer each week to seeing the Conception back here in the docks at Santa Barbara .  As this saga is beginning to final come to a close everyone has been real busy here in the office and down in the shipyard, and as a result Chris has asked me to step in and tackle this weeks update.  Glen, Jerry, and everyone else working hard down in Ventura are pulling overtime putting the final touches on the Conception as things are finally starting to come together. 

I had a chance to talk to Glen briefly this afternoon as he was driving home.  All of the machinery is now in place! The engines, generators, and compressors are all onboard and now just need to be hooked up. The smell of fresh paint is in the air as everything has a shiny new coat, last thing to paint: the hull.  The wheel house and crew accommodations are complete, and we now have new bunk pads in the bunk room.  The hull now has a new pair of struts, and is awaiting paint. Every last hole has now been sealed up, and since being abandoned on the rocks in March, the Conception is once again water-tight and ready to float!

There are of course a few things left to do.  The galley is almost complete and is now just getting a few finishing touches.  And as stated earlier the machines need to be hooked-up and tested.  We slowly move towards the Coast Guard approval test.  All the larger projects are mostly complete and all the smaller ones are coming together and soon enough we'll have a complete boat once again.

To help celebrate the return of the Conception we are currently designing a new T-shirt to commemorate the occasion, details on this are sure to come, but those of you on our repair update list should be getting an e-mail with some design details. [David Terra]

[UPDATE - August 3rd]
We had hoped to be celebrating the return of the Conception in the coming week(s) but unforeseen setbacks have delayed the repairs. Earlier estimates were right on track but depended heavily on a large number of independent projects coming together all at the same time. The scope of the repairs taking place involve the coordination of shipwrights, electricians, plumbers, specialized yard employees, and hardworking Truth Aquatics employees. It truly is a mountainous task and the smallest things, like a shortage of epoxy resin used in sealing and fiberglass work, can put a stop to quite a few projects. While the return date remains hazy please know that we are working very hard to bring back a boat that is more comfortable, user friendly and most importantly safer than ever before.

As for the current repairs, well there are a ton of smaller projects now checked off the list and the larger ones are coming to a close. With the exception of holes drilled into the bottom to make room for the propeller shafts the boat is finally watertight again. I know the crew is eager to give her a good rinsing (it has been 4 months without a bath) and let all the new paint on the upper decks shine. The stainless work in the galley is almost complete and the shower room remodel is now done. Some of the things still left to finnish are mounting of the shafts, struts, propellers and rudders. The compressors and generator need to be installed. Painting of the hull, lower deck and galley (bye bye red deck) should conclude the majority of the work. [Chris Callahan]

Join the Conception Update List

[UPDATE - July 23th]
Unfortunately I was not able to make it down to the boatyard before this weekend but will be passing by on the way to LA later today. We still hope to have the boat ready for its first trips in early August assuming the remaining projects go smoothly. Currently we are looking at a sometime around the second week of August.

Quite a lot of work has been done since my last update and I'll try to give you a quick rundown of the important things. The hull is now complete! They are in the process of finishing the last layers of fiberglass which will then lead to the finnish painting. The newly rebuilt engines have been mounted in the freshly painted engine room (I can't wait to see this). The swim step has been mounted to the new dive platform at the stern of the boat. The sundeck and wheelhouse are back in showroom condition and the galley is coming right along. New windows have been installed throughout the main salon and stainless work is being done in the galley.

As a side note, I am working on a limited edition of the Conception T-shirt to commemorate the boat being put back in the water. This will be a very limited run and I expect them to go very quickly but I will send a notice out to everyone on the repair update list as soon as they are available. [Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - July 13th]
It has been quite an experience watching all the repairs take place over the last couple months. With our Summer season now in full swing it is rare that I get a chance to visit the boat but I was able to make a trip to the boatyard last Saturday. The Conception is finally starting to look like a boat again. Because it was a Saturday I wasn't surprised to see the yard empty of people. The first thing I noticed was that the woodwork on the bow was complete, for the first time since late March the boat actually had a bow! Walking from the bow to the stern I saw that all but the last layer of plywood had been fixed to the hull. Just as I rounded the corner I ran into Glen coming down the access ladder. He proceeded to take me on a tour of the work being done. Right as I walked onboard I smelled fresh paint and saw Jerry, paint brush in hand, attacking the engine room in preparation for installing the engines. Then up to the galley where the new grill was awaiting its new home after the counters and ceiling are finished. We then go down to the shower room with its new vanity and shower stalls..wait...showers without buttons!? Glen then told be he was reorganizing the way the fresh water was run through the boat, this will help greatly in the time it takes for the water to "get hot". It was great to get onboard and see all these things finally coming together. As I left the boat I noticed a pile of old bunk pads stacked up, waiting to be recycled, yes we are getting new bunk pads too!

For those of you who would like to get e-mail updates about the status of the Conception I invite you to try our new e-mail signup form Here. [Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - June 17th]
I wish there were pictures to describe the feelings I have for what is happening to the Conception now. I took a special trip down to the boat yard last week and was able to get some great pictures of the new keel and mast in place, the galley work under way, and the new showers being installed. What has been done to the boat so far is amazing. It all, however, pales in comparison to the news I heard today from Glen! Until now I have been posting about plans to do this or that, thoughts about improvements and additions, dreams of a new Conception. Now I know that all the early thoughts and ideas are finally being realized, we have started to re-skin the hull!!! This is giant news because it means that the major repair process is coming to a close. After the hull is complete, some-time next week, we will have a boat that looks much like the boat we knew (finally) before the accident. Future projects include fiber glassing and painting the hull, re-installing the engines, compressors and generators, and a complete rebuild of the galley. With a little luck and a lot of hard work we should have the Conception ready in early August, just in time to show her off for a couple months before the opening of lobster season on October 1st.

Because I have received such a great response to the first photo album I am working on a second album that will take you all the way through today. I hope to have it completed this weekend and posted sometime next week. Our 3rd quarter calendar has also gone to press and those of you on our mailing list should receive it in the next week or two. If you are interested in getting on our quarterly mailing list please write us at info@truthaquatics.com. [Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - June 6th]
This update marks the beginning of the end for the repair of the Conception. We have finally reached that point in the process where we can stand back, look at the boat and say, "well, lets start putting her back together." The new keel for the Conception has been installed! Work continues all over the boat and "we are finally checking things off the list", said Glen Fritzler. I have planned a trip to visit the repair yard on June 8th and hope to bring back more pictures of the progress. I am still working on getting some kinks out of the subscription newsletter but hope to have it up soon.
[Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - May 27th]
It has been over two months from the day the Conception was stolen and we have seen her change quite a bit since then. The highlight this week is definitely the keel. The old keel has been removed from the hull, leaving an empty track in its place. The new keel is being shaped to exactly match the length and dimensions of the old keel. It will then be fitted in place and secured to the hull. Once that happens we will be officially finished with the tear down stage and "keel deep" into the "put everything back together" stage. Other work around the boat continues: The electrical system is being revamped and streamlined. A new cooking grill is being ordered for the galley. The vessel's steering system is being completely reworked. The top wheelhouse is now gleaming with fresh paint. I for one, am amazed at how things are progressing and applaud the effort and determination of everyone involved. The new keel should go in next week so please check back. [Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - May 16th]
As new from the repair yard seems to be coming slowly nowadays I have taken the last week to put a photo album together. This album will take you from the first day of the Conception's grounding all the way to her current state of repair. I have included descriptions for each picture to give you an idea of what was happening and how the boat went from sitting high and dry on a rocky beach, to high and dry in the repair yard. I would have liked to get this up and available much sooner but had issues trying to get a slide show to work properly. I hope you enjoy and please send me comments and feedback. In my next update I hope to have a newsletter you can subscribe to that will send repair updates directly to your inboxes so you won't have to check the site once a week. [Chris Callahan]

From Day One - A Conception Album

*note - This album contains almost 100 pictures! Please be patient and allow it a minute to fully load before using the interface.

[UPDATE - May 5th]
I was able pin down Captain Jerry Boylan for a couple minutes today and got a little update on the progress of the repair. With the boat now being held by custom blocks the yard workers have been able to remove the material on either side of the keel. Now with the entire keel exposed it will allow for a relatively easy installation of the new keel when it arrives. The plywood skinning has been completely removed in the stern compartment area exposing all the stringers and other structural parts of the hull. The stern compartment was one of the areas that suffered significant damage because it is houses the rudders and struts which bore the weight of the boat while aground. The yard is also finishing repairs to the swoop, bulwarks, and anchor compartment. Glen and Jerry are still feverishly working up in the wheel house. Currently they are planning a redesign of the sundeck lockers and navigational systems on the wheel house roof. Scaffolding has been erected around most of the bow area to facilitate preparations for painting. We are definitely still in the "strip down" stages of the repair project but have been very happy with the speed at which we have been able to progress. When the major work to the keel and stringers has been completed we can finally move on to the "put everything back together looking really nice" stage. Hopefully then we may have a better estimate of the time it will take to bring this mighty boat home. [Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - April 28th]
Wow, it seems like forever since my last update and I know you are all wondering what is happening on the Conception. I spent some time with Captain Jerry Boylan this afternoon and got an idea of what has been happening down in Ventura. As I noted before we will be replacing the keel of the boat which is the structural timber running the length of the entire vessel. When a boat is taken out of the water for repairs it is supported on wooden blocks along its keel, this is where we run into an issue. If you need to use the keel to support the boat while it's out of the water, but you also need to replace that same keel what do you do? The answer is to custom build large side supports capable of holding the weight of the boat along its chine. The Conception was transferred from the old blocks under the keel to the new supports along the chine today. This will allow us plenty of room to get underneath the boat and replace the keel. The boatyard is also making great progress on the repairs to the bulwarks and transom of the boat which were both damaged during the salvage effort. Glen and Jerry have been hard at work up in the wheelhouse. Early plans call for a brand new Radar Mast, all new wheelhouse ceiling, extensive repair work to the crew quarters and shower, and additional repairs to the sundeck. While the boat yard is busy working on the hull repairs Glen, Jerry and many others will be going through the boat, from top to bottom, to make sure she leaves the yard better then the day she was built. I want to thank everyone who has given us their ideas and suggestions, please keep them coming and we'll make sure the great minds behind the repair hear them. [Chris Callahan]

[UPDATE - April 18th]
While estimates of the time it will take to fully repair the Conception vary wildly depending on who you talk to, one thing we all agree on is that this boat WILL be back. Currently the repair effort is focused on removing all the boats machinery, storage tanks, and hull fittings. Most of these items will be reused in the "new" Conception. This brings me to something very exciting: it has always been said that the Conception was built with all the knowledge learned from building the Truth, and the Vision built with the knowledge from the Conception. Well, because the repairs needed are so extensive it gives us an opportunity to look closely at exactly how the boat is put back together. We will be making changes to the layout of the shower room, replacing tons of fixtures throughout the boat, and in general doing everything we never thought to do when the boat was first built. I would encourage anyone who has suggestions about additions or changes you might want to see on the Conception to e-mail us with your ideas. We can't guarantee that we will be able to turn the sundeck into a giant hot-tub or cut the travel time to the islands in half but we will do everything we can to make sure that the Conception comes back better than ever! [Chris Callahan]

Please e-mail comments or suggestions to: info@truthaquatics.com

[UPDATE - April 14th]
We have started a new page that is focused on the repair and return of the Conception to service. The early estimate of 4-6 months has been refined and we could have the boat as back by August if repairs progress smoothly. Two major projects will top the long list of repairs. First we will need to replace the keel which is a long thick timber running from the bow to the stern and provides a structural backbone for the hull. Second we will be "re-skinning" the lower portion of the hull with new wood and fiberglass. We were all very excited to hear Glen's comments about the repair process, "we will bring her back better than ever!" he said. I will keep posting details about the repair process and we are are working on a photo gallery for those interested in more pictures. [Chris Callahan]

Information about the theft of the Conception