Pirate fan spends eight months building his own 40ft vessel and then sells it for $80,000 (but where's he going to bury the loot?)

Tim Woodson from Missouri, made his 40ft ship from an old river boat

It is 40ft long, holds up to 30 passengers and has two bedrooms, a luxury bathroom and a fully-fitted kitchen

Now Captain Tim has sold the vessel to U.S. television network The History Channel for a cool £50,000

He still runs a pirate river cruise operator up and down the Mississippi, hosting parties for children and adults



This ship might look like it's just sailed in from the set of Pirates of the Caribbean, but it was in fact built built by a pirate enthusiast whose just sold it for $80,000.

Tim Woodson, known as Captain Tim, from Ballwin, Missouri, spent eight months building the giant pirate ship, named The Gypsy Rose II.

It is an impressive 40ft long, holds up to 30 passengers, has two bedrooms, a luxury bathroom, a fully-fitted kitchen and can travel at a modest 17mph.

Scourge of the high seas: This 40ft pirate ship, named The Gypsy Rose II, took eight months to build. It carries up to 30 passengers, has two bedrooms, luxury bathroom, fully-fitted kitchen and can travel at 17mph

Someone tell that parrot to shut up: Tim Woodson, left, known as Captain Tim, from Ballwin, Missouri, built the boat, pictured right, and he has just sold it to U.S. television network The History Channel for a cool $80,000

Captain Tim had put his creation - really a modified river boat - on the open market before U.S. television network The History Channel snapped it up..

'I've always been a fan of boats and I'm also an artist,' said the 53-year-old. 'I always wanted to put my two passions in life together to create something spectacular.

'I went out one day and wanted to find an old boat that I could transform into something really cool. My girlfriend asked, "What are you going to do?" and I said that I wanted to build a pirate ship.

'Everyone thought I was crazy but then they saw it and said how amazing it was.'

Labour of love: Captain Tim said building the ship - which is really a modified old river boat, was an opportunity to combine his twin passions as an artist and a lover of boats 'to create something spectacular'



Work in progress: The boat is pictured here on dry land in the middle of Captain Tim's modification work

Eccentric: Captain Tim's neighbours thought he was crazy until work was finished and they saw the result

Captain Tim revealed there was a lot of interest in the ship, but he was thrilled when The History Channel bought the boat.

'People would phone me every day to try and buy the ship or trade it for something,' he said. 'But we've just sold the Gypsy Rose II to the History Channel for $80,000, which is great.'

Captain Tim uses his unique ships to take people on pirate cruises along the Mississippi River.



Every summer he embarks on more than 100 cruises from St Charles, Missouri, to Grafton, Illinois.

He also hosts adventure-packed parties for children and booze-fuelled ones for adults aboard his boats as they glide through the beautiful southern scenery.



Captain Tim with wench Martha: He uses his unique ships to take people on pirate cruises along the Mississippi River, including adventure parties for children and booze-fuelled ones for the grown ups

Mooring: Captain Tim embarks on more than 100 cruises a year from St Charles, Missouri, to Grafton, Illinois

What a life: Captain Tim says he loves his job. 'At the moment I'm a full-time pirate and ship builder - it's great!'

'It just brings smiles to everyone's face, it's a great feeling and I love what I do,' said Captain Tim .



'The journey takes 30 minutes and everyone loves it, people can't wait to get on the ship and take photos.