Pirate ship is Burbank couple's buried treasure

Anne and Richard Lainhart have a pirate ship in their Burbank back yard.

That's right. A pirate ship.

Richard Lainhart built it with the help of his wife and a lot of friends to celebrate the couple's 50th birthdays, the Burbank Leader reported. They wanted their party to have a pirate theme. Most people probably would make do with costumes and decorations, but the Lainharts went all out.

Richard Lainhart, who has worked in construction most of his life, rounded up a crew of stout-hearted friends and began building a pirate ship in the couple's backyard on East Angeleno Street.

Construction of what became the Red Dragon’s Revenge started in August, 2004, after the concept was blessed by city inspectors and most of the neighbors. It was finished in six months.

The pirate ship has a 27-foot mast, including a crow’s nest 22 feet up the mast, five sails and a below-deck galley. The ship is in dry dock, submerged four feet in a sea of solid concrete.

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-- Vicki Smith Paluch, Times Community News    

Photo: John Weiler of Claremont takes a photo of his wife, Marion, in front of a pirate ship at the home of Anne and Richard Lainhart. Credit: Raul Roa / Burbank Leader