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With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Page six
A
Visual Transformation
SS
With Bill Chefalas
Please Note: All photographs were taken by and/or
were provided by Mr. Bill Chefalas,
Mr. Bill Chefalas was the main graphic
designers and construction managers who undertook the renovation of the
SS Independence in 1968 he was responsible for her final design based on a
view of creation by her new operators. Thus, Bill and his co-workers performed
the actual physical layout of the “Sunburst” super-graphic and
“Jean Harlow’s” eyes on the sides of the ship, which at
that time was dry-docked in
SS
Independence is seen here at sea prior to her new look in 1968
From the author’s private collection
“I was the graphic designer and
delineator of the sunburst and
I hired a local crew of surveyors, and using
miner’s transits and communicating via two-way radios, we actually
snapped the lines on both sides of the ship. We had a custom
fabricated steel tray made which was about twenty feet long by four feet
wide, that would hold two men, and a gantry crane would hoist us up the
side of the ship in order to snap our lines. We stayed in that tray all
day, and even ate our lunch there. I also hired a local painting
contractor, one who had experience painting water towers in
The
Sunburst stripes would not reach to the top of the forward funnel on both sides
In relation to
As
the ship was very much aimed at the youth market, she had that modern look
throughout and it
featured large banners throughout, with
a Circus theme - Now in 2010 Circus is a big hit on many cruise ships!
Obviously
the Diner’s Club/Fugasi - Go-Go Cruises were
too far ahead of their time
This
was advertised as being the “Pop Art” Pool
SS
Independence is seen here arriving in
Mr. Chefalas
was onboard when this photo was taken by a workmate
To this date, I still have the crumpled up drawing that I made and carried it around in my back pocket for the three months of painting.”
Bill Chefalas
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Alang
I hereby wish to thank Mr.
Reuben Goossens.
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Index
Page
One: History
of SS Independence and her sister the SS Constitution
Page Two: Photo
Page – From beginning to End
Page Three: Deck Plans - American Export Lines
Page Four: Deck
Plan – American
Page
Five: Photo Page
of Independence/Oceanic at Pier 70
Photographs
by Patrick Race & Jonathan Haeber
Page
Six: The amazing
story of SS Independence’s transformation to become the
Fugasi - “Go-Go
Cruises” FunShip. A story by the designer
Bill Chefalas.
SS Atlantic: This delightful ship sailed with the SS
Independence & Constitution from 1960 to 1967.
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Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or from the
author’s private collection. In addition there are some images that have been
provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit
is given to all contributors. However, there are some photographs provided to
me without details regarding the photographer/owner concerned. I hereby invite
if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me (my
email address may be found on www.ssmaritime.com only), in order that due credit
may be given.
This
notice covers all pages, although, and I have done my
best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is
displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!
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and © Copyright by Reuben Goossens - All Rights Reserved