Up until the late 1970s, Kensington had been kept in fairly sound shape, passing through a series of owners who had a number of different uses for her. She had become just an "old boat" and as a result fell into a severe state of decay. She was virtually abandoned in Poulsbo, Washington, across Puget Sound from Seattle, where her current owner found her. What was expected to be a one- or two-year restoration expanded to five and a half years. Photos below chronicle this process.