
25 Jun Providence Returns Home: Repair Project Update
The shipwrights at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) are making steady progress on repairs before our beloved Providence returns! While we haven’t yet fully raised the funds needed to complete Phase One of the repair project, we’re confident we’ll get there with your continued support. In the meantime, CBMM generously began work at the start of this month and has made impressive strides over the last two weeks. During that time, we’ve raised over $11,000 toward our goal of $87,000. We are deeply grateful to the Historic Alexandria Foundation and to the many individual donors whose generosity has made this possible.

Providence returns THIS WEEKEND!
At this time, our Captain received the green light that CBMM completed the repairs to safely return home to Old Town Alexandria this weekend, June 28th-just in time for July 4th celebrations. We are thrilled to be able to bring Providence back so soon!
However, our journey is far from over. We’re still actively fundraising to cover the remaining cost of Phase One, to prepare Providence for a trip to another shipyard for hull revitalization, and to eventually return to CBMM for a rigging replacement—bringing us one step closer to sailing again.
Follow our Social Media over the weekend to follow our journey as we cruise back to Alexandria over the course of about 48 hours. We will be going live on Instagram and TikTok for one of our watches, so join us on Saturday from 12PM-4PM to ask us some questions, watch us motor along the Potomac, and be a part of our crew as Providence returns home.
This Week in Repairs
We wanted to highlight some of the exciting things that have been happening over the last few weeks. Shipwrights are hard at work putting on final touches.

Quarterdeck rail partial replacement
One of the first projects CBMM Shipwrights began was replacing most of our Quarterdeck rails. This was most of the “Additional Work” in our plan. Years of weather exposure left several sections rotted. CBMM’s skilled shipwrights carefully removed the damaged pieces and constructed new rails, stanchions, and gun mounts that closely replicate the original design.
This past week, the final protective coats of primer were applied. We’ll continue maintaining this area with seasonal painting. Interested in helping with projects like this? Consider volunteering with us!

Rigging Removal
Before major repairs could proceed, many of Providence’s components had to be carefully removed. Beyond our railings, we removed our Danforth Anchor, Starboard Davit, Boom, Headrig, Doubling Cap, Crossjack Yard, Crane Iron, and Samson Post. Read more about each of these parts in our last blog post.
Each piece was removed with precision, some using a crane or other specialized tools. Sam Hilgartner, the lead rigger at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum led the charge as the other talented shipwrights expertly and safely removed each piece one by one.
Stabilization of rigging

Once the riggers safely removed nearly all of Providence’s spars and standing rigging, it was time to stabilize. Some parts—like the Starboard Davit and the Samson Post—were rebuilt in the shop and reinstalled aboard the ship. Onboard the ship, a large brace was added to the base of the mast and reinforced with concrete. Our captain is currently working on replacing the forestay and jibstay now that the Samson Post is back in place.
Some components, such as the Boom and parts of our Headrig, won’t be reinstalled right away. This is an intentional decision to reduce strain on the mast until more comprehensive hull repairs can be completed.
How can you help?
This repair was an incredibly expensive endeavor, and we still need a lot of help paying for it! Every dollar brings us closer to fully restoring Providence. Your donations support essential work like this and help us move forward with the next phases of repair. Consider contributing to Phase One Repairs today and help us chart a course toward sailing again in the future.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.