Manitou, Classic Yawl and Remnant of History
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| 'Manitou sailing' . |
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He loved Manitou and spent much time on her - .. . |
Kennedy sailed Manitou often on the Bay and in New England. Kennedy was so fond of the boat that he deemed her the 'floating Whitehouse.' She was named after Manitou Passage in Lake Michigan. 'Manitou' means 'Spirit of the Water.'
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The Kennedys and the Auchinclosses enjoying a day out - .. . |
Five years after his assassination in 1963, she was sold by government (Defense Surplus Sales Office) on May 23, 1968 to the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at Piney Point, Maryland for $35,000, and then used for training for the Merchant Marine.
In the same year, Aristotle Onassis, the Greek multi-millionaire made two attempts to buy the boat back when he was courting Mrs. John F. Kennedy. he married her a few months later (October 1968).
In 1999, Manitou was purchased by the granddaughter of the original owner, James Lowe. Since then, the boat has undergone a major refit. The current owner has seen some changes, too -- citing the birth of triplets in 2001. She has put Manitou up for sale.
Her shapely lines were originally built at the M.M. Davis & Son yard at Solomans, Maryland but has just completed an almost entire rebuild in the course of the past five years.
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Kennedys and Presidential Candidate John Kerry - .. . |
She is built with teak planking on deck and Philippine mahogany over oak frames for the hull - all of which is now new.
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As she was - .. . |
Length: 62 feet overall (44 feet on water line). Beam: 13 feet. Draft: 9 feet.
Power: gasoline engine (7-8 knots)
Equipment: radio direction finder, fathometer, radio telephone
Accommodations: icebox, propane stove, usable fireplace, head forward, and head admidships. Sleeps 3 crew forward, 4 in main cabin and the main stateroom aft sleeps 2.
Rig: Marconi rigged yawl. Requires at least 3 experiened hands
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As she is - .. . |
For more information about the yacht as she stands for sale, go to the Sparkman & Stephens Association
by Des Ryan
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