“Manitou,” JFK’s former presidential sailboat, continues to inspire dreams.
JFK and the Sea: The Story of Manitou, the “Floating White House”
Before becoming president, John F. Kennedy was a young man deeply connected to the Massachusetts coast. From childhood, he learned to sail with his family in the waters of Cape Cod, where the Kennedys owned a residence. It was on these sailboats that he forged an intimate relationship with the sea, which taught him calm in the storm – a quality he carried into the political arena. His father, Joseph Kennedy, instilled in him a love for sailing and nautical competitions from a young age. These maritime escapades developed in JFK a spirit of adventure and endurance that would prove invaluable, particularly when he joined the US Navy during World War II, commanding the PT-109 torpedo boat in the Pacific against Japan.
Manitou, the “Floating White House”
In 1961, shortly after taking office, JFK chose Manitou to become the presidential yacht, a splendid 62-foot yawl built in 1937 by Sparkman & Stephens, a prestigious name in the yachting world. Dubbed the “Floating White House,” the sailboat was modernized. During the Cold War, Manitou needed to be a modern vessel to stay in contact with the White House and the world. But Manitou was not just a tool for work; it represented a refuge for JFK, a place of relaxation where he found balance, away from the eyes and pressures of Washington. Under the expert hand of its captain and crew, Manitou became a haven for the president. Sometimes accompanied by his wife Jackie, or even close advisors like Ted Sorensen, Kennedy spent long hours meditating, sailing, and drawing strength to face the challenges of his term.
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A Floating Legacy
Unfortunately, JFK did not have the opportunity to enjoy his yacht for long. After his assassination, Manitou changed hands several times, traveling from marina to marina, but always imbued with the aura of its famous owner. The boat was initially auctioned off to a sailing school, but a wealthy billionaire, eager to acquire this piece of history, bought it to offer it to Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, JFK’s widow. Over the years, and despite its many owners, the yawl remained intact, preserving its period style and original equipment, like a floating piece of history.
Today, Manitou is more than just an old boat; it is a symbol. Purchased by Europeans, it crossed the Atlantic and joined the Mediterranean. Since 2011, it has been a regular participant in major classic yacht regattas. During the Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2023, during the Rolex Trophy, it was among the twelve yawls in competition, distinguished by its slender silhouette and period appearance. Carefully maintained by its owners, passionate about classic yachting, Manitou blends in with the other jewels of yachting that parade each year in the azure waters of the Mediterranean. But Manitou exudes something more: a breath of American history that permeates every regatta in which it participates.
Manitou embodies more than just a sailboat; it is a reflection of a man for whom the sea was a refuge. JFK, at the head of one of the world’s largest nations, never lost this visceral connection with the waves. Today, Manitou perpetuates this story, floating as an ode to an extraordinary president. Between elegance and sobriety, this yawl has become, over the years, a privileged witness to an era, to the meeting between the American dream and the limitless horizons of the sea.
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