S/Y Legacy remains anchored in Key West Harbor but things are changing in and around her.

Shipwrecked on the shallow flats from Hurricane Wilma in 2005, Legacy has remained on the hook since being freed in early 2008.

Owner Peter Halmos has been busy consolidating his on-water presence, first by dismantling Aqua Village, his home for almost four years, and moving onto Legacy. Aqua Village started as a series of houseboats and barges rafted near Legacy to oversee her recovery and keep an eagle-eye on his prized possession. While several storms during recent hurricane seasons forced Halmos to downsize the village from eight houseboats to three, he has now shut it down all together and removed all houseboats.

With his 46-foot Merritt sportfish Mongoose tied up port side and some floating work docks along the starboard side, Halmos has established Camp Legacy, complete with a few tents adorning the forward deck "for sleeping under the stars," Halmos said.

He spends his time between vessels while he fits out Legacy for the long term. Two new watermakers are being installed, along with solar panels and portable generators to make living onboard a little more comfortable.

"We haven’t had fresh water out here in weeks, and need to get it aboard Legacy," Halmos said on a hot and sultry Key West day in early August.

There is no sustained power aboard Legacy to run most accessories. He can run the ship’s generator, but for short periods.

"There’s still a risk of fire as we continue to determine which wires and circuits may have issues," he said.

Although Legacy is still battered on the outside, Halmos has been working on the inside. Onboard recently for a tour, it’s clearly noticeable why Halmos has spent so much time and money in recovering her.

The aft deck now closely resembles her pre-Wilma style and not the work deck with gear and generators strewn about as during her recovery from the sandy shallows.

Halmos, his crew and dayworkers have been restoring the mahogany woodwork throughout the 158-foot Perini Navi. Surfaces have been sanded and polished, gashes filled in and a number of rooms have been put back to working condition.

Through the main salon and forward along the beamy corridor to the dining area, Legacy is being cleaned as best as can be and looks as if she’s ready to sail again. Down below, stateroom woodwork is being refurbished, as are the corridors and staircase. Water stains and salt corrosion have left marks but Halmos is determined to bring back the original luster and charm.

There is still much work to be done. Standing at the lower helm, the dash switches are in place, waiting to be energized.

But looking around, constant reminders of the stormy night are evident, including several shattered windshield panes, the missing masts, and the navigation and electronics stations aft of the helm that are partially disassembled.

The most significant reminder of their unfortunate event may just be on the brass name plate attached to the helm’s upper aft bulkhead. There, clearly marked, is someone’s foot print. Halmos thinks someone stepped on it during the hurricane, as Legacy violently pitched and rolled helplessly through the night.

Halmos thinks there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, albeit faintly. He’s battling insurance brokers and carriers now, causing Legacy to stay in Key West until early next year, at least. Court dates dictate Halmos’ schedule, so he doesn’t make many long-term plans.

Perseverance may be Halmos’ best attribute. He remains dedicated to saving the yacht that saved him, and fighting the forces that are against him.

He looks at life a little differently now. Perhaps a bit more spiritual (though, he says, not mystical), Halmos believes he was saved from the hurricane to make a difference later on.

Keep an eye on him. He may just make a difference, and it may start in Key West.

Read more about the Legacy on the S/Y Legacy Topic Page at http://thetriton.com/topics/Legacy

Capt. Tom Serio is a freelance captain, writer and photographer in South Florida. He is a frequent contributor to The Triton and has written extensively about Legacy and her recovery. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com .