A pedigree made for speed
Built in 1937 in Maryland by Davies & Sons, Manitou was later known as "The Floating White House".
His architect Olie Sparkman (The Sparkman of Sparkman & Stephens) designed him to be a courier for competitions on the American Great Lakes.
The sponsor of its launch, James Lowe, was a wealthy racing driver who was determined to get the fastest racing boat of the time.
He spoke to Sparkman & Stephens, the already famous architects of the moment, known for their designs that won the America's Cup several times.
Later, Sparkman and Stephens were, among others, the architects of Nautor, producing the beautiful Swan in Finland.
A powerful, elegant and comfortable Bermudan Yawl
Features :
- Length: 18.90 m
- Length at waterline: 13.40 m
- Width: 4.20 m
- Draught: 2.60 m
- Weight: 28 tons
- Ballast: 4 tons
His rig as a racing Bermudian yawl and the 167m2 of canvas he carried upwind made Manitou (which means "Spirit of the Water", the deity of all deities in Algonquin Indian) a powerful, comfortable and elegant sailing boat.
Manitou requisitioned by the US Navy
After having won all the important races that interested his owner before the war, Manitou would participate in the Second World War. When James Lowe was drafted into the US Navy in 1942, the ship followed him there. Manitou would spend World War II on motorized patrol along the northeast coast of the United States on surveillance missions before joining the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1956.
The president is looking for a yacht
Shortly after winning the 1961 presidential election, JFK put his naval aide-de-camp on the lookout for a sailboat belonging to the U.S. fleet that could serve as a presidential yacht. Manitou's elegant design and pedigree quickly made this point to the President's envoy who, after validation by JFK, quickly sent him to the Chesapeake Bay for a somewhat special start-up.
James Bond equipment
At the height of the Cold War, the American Presidential Yacht was intended to keep the President in constant contact with his aides and ministry. A powerful communication system (for the time) allowed him to reach the whole world - including the Kremlin - from his side!
For his comfort (and that of his guests), a bathtub had been fitted in the owner's cabin at the stern.
Although the president was still sailing surrounded by Secret Service boats (the President's protection service), a camouflaged crew in the aft cabin was carrying a Colt 45 ACP and ammunition. It was later replaced by a more peaceful rocket launcher!
1968, the boat returns to a sailing school
In 1968, the "Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship" acquired Manitou, which had been left empty since the assassination of President JFK. For the next 15 years, the boat was used to bring young teenagers from disadvantaged areas of the United States, much like Father Jaouen in France.
Finally, the descendants of its first owner bought it back in the 1980s to restore it and since then it has participated in many regattas and classic nautical events.
Manitou, who scours the regattas of old Mediterranean rigs, has just changed owners again.
