franklin roosevelt's presidential yacht potomac

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The Floating White House: A Brief History of the Presidential Yacht

By: Evan Andrews

Updated: October 31, 2023 | Original: August 18, 2017

Before there was Air Force One, there was the presidential yacht. Dating back to the 19th century, America’s chief executives utilized navy ships and other vessels for recreation and entertaining foreign dignitaries. Nearly a dozen different ships acted as the “Floating White House” between 1880 and 1977, when the last vessel was sold at auction. During that time, they were the scene of international diplomatic summits, congressional schmoozing and the occasional Potomac River pleasure cruise.

The executive yacht “served an important purpose in enabling Presidents to escape the claustrophobic tension of the White House,” former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has written. It “provided a quiet sanctuary; it was handier than Camp David, easier for casual, informal discussions.”

Abraham Lincoln made use of a steamboat called the River Queen during the Civil War , but the first official presidential yachts date to the Gilded Age. Starting in 1880, America’s commanders in chief sailed aboard a series of Navy vessels including  USS Despatch , USS Dolphin and USS Sylph . In 1886, Despatc h famously ferried Grover Cleveland across New York Harbor for the dedication of the Statue of Liberty .

Presidential boating entered a new era in the early 1900s, when  USS Mayflower took over as the chief executive’s official yacht. Unlike earlier vessels, which were relatively austere in their design, Mayflower was a luxury craft previously owned by real estate millionaire Ogden Goelet. Measuring some 275 feet from stem to stern, it boasted a crew of over 150 and had a sumptuous interior that included a 30-person dining table and bathtubs made from Italian marble.

USS Mayflower is most famously associated with Theodore Roosevelt , who often used it and  USS Sylph for family vacation cruises along Long Island. A more official use came in August 1905, when Roosevelt hosted Japanese and Russian envoys aboard  Mayflower as part of his attempts to mediate peace talks in the Russo-Japanese War . He would later win the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the conflict.

Mayflower served as a presidential plaything for over two decades. Woodrow Wilson is said to have wooed his second wife Edith Bolling Galt during romantic jaunts aboard the ship, and Calvin Coolidge reportedly loved the yacht so much he stationed a Navy chaplain aboard so that he could take Sunday morning cruises without being accused of skipping church. Nevertheless, the ship’s opulence proved to be a sticking point with critics of presidential excess. In 1929, with economic concerns on the rise, Herbert Hoover  finally had  Mayflower decommissioned.

Mayflower was the largest and stateliest of the presidential yachts, but it wasn’t the last. Hoover—a devoted fisherman—soon began making day trips on a wooden-hulled vessel called USS Sequoia , and he eventually grew so attached to it that he had it featured on his 1932 Christmas card. Franklin D. Roosevelt began his tenure with Sequoia , but later switched to USS Potomac, a 165-foot former Coast Guard cutter that included a special elevator to help the wheelchair-bound president move between decks.

FDR occasionally utilized the ship for official business—it carried him to a 1941 meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill —but it was more frequently used for presidential leisure. In his book Sailor in the White House: The Seafaring Life of FDR , author Robert Cross writes that Potomac provided Roosevelt with “an instant means of extricating himself from the confines of Washington. Roosevelt could escape to the open water, where he could do some politicking and thinking, or relax and entertain on deck with friends and advisors, or simply throw a fishing line overboard and patiently wait for a bite.”

Recreation was also the main role of the presidential yachts during the administration of Harry Truman , who hosted floating poker games aboard Sequoia and the 243-foot USS Williamsburg. Dwight D. Eisenhower was more of a landlubber than his predecessors, but sea excursions became popular again in the 1960s, when Sequoia resumed its former role as the main presidential yacht. John F. Kennedy —who also utilized a yacht called Honey Fitz and a sailboat called Manitou —celebrated his final birthday with a party aboard Sequoia. Lyndon B. Johnson installed a liquor bar and enjoyed having movies projected on the main deck.

As the longest serving of the executive yachts, Sequoia played host to several chapters in presidential history. The 104-foot vessel was a more humble affair than many of the other yachts, but the seclusion of its elegant, mahogany-paneled saloon made it an ideal location for sensitive political discussions. Harry Truman talked nuclear arms policy aboard the ship with the prime ministers of Britain and Canada. In the mid-1960s, Lyndon Johnson used yacht trips to hash out Vietnam strategy and lobby legislators to support his Great Society domestic reforms. “The Sequoia was a rostrum from which he was trying to persuade congressmen and senators,” former Johnson aide Jack Valenti said.

Richard Nixon was undoubtedly the most the enthusiastic user of  Sequoia. The 37th president reportedly made as many as 100 trips aboard the yacht, including one in which he met with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev to negotiate the S ALT I nuclear arms agreement . Near the end of his second term, Nixon also used  Sequoia as a hideout from the controversies of the Watergate scandal . During one final cruise in August 1974, the embattled president reportedly informed his family of his decision to resign before retiring to the ship’s saloon, quaffing a glass of scotch and playing God Bless America on the piano.

The age of the presidential yacht came to a close in 1977. That year, newly inaugurated Jimmy Carter ordered that  Sequoia be offloaded in a public sale. Carter later noted that he was disturbed by the yacht’s $250,000 annual upkeep, but he was also following through on a campaign promise to dispense with the extravagance of the presidency. “Despite its distinguished career, I feel that the Presidential yacht Sequoia is no longer needed,” he wrote in a memo to his Secretary of Defense.

Today, Sequoia and  Potomac are the only two former presidential yachts still in existence. Potomac went through several different owners after its presidential service—including Elvis Presley —and is now moored in Oakland, California. Sequoia, though currently inactive and in a state of disrepair, was once used as a floating museum and private charter boat, and still retains much of its presidential memorabilia. Both vessels are now registered as National Historic Landmarks.

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USS Potomac

• 540 Water St., Foot of Clay St., Oakland, CA 94607
• Neighborhood: Jack London District
• Phone: (510) 627-1215
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Affectionately dubbed the Floating White House by the press, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential yacht is one of the few floating museums in the country. The restored 165-foot vessel, a national historic landmark, is a memorial to FDR and his accomplishments. The Floating White House was originally commissioned the USCG Cutter Electra in 1934.  In 1936 it was renamed the USS Potomac and served as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Presidential Yacht until his death in 1945. GROUP ACTIVITIES & EXPERIENCES The USS Potomac is available for limited private charter. Consider the USS Potomac all through the year for your special events. Whether it is an anniversary, wedding, reception, promotion, memorial cruises or any other occasion, the Potomac is a truly unique venue for any very special day. Ship Capacity -  Maximum passenger load is 120 people. For events with food and beverage service, 80-90 passengers is recommended. Docking -  The Potomac sails from the foot of Clay Street in Jack London Square, Oakland, CA. Pickups & drop-offs may be available for your event at a San Francisco waterfront location. Fees -  The Potomac is competitively priced with other charter vessels of her size. A minimum three-hour charter cruise on board the USS Potomac starts at $7,000. Each additional hour is $1,000. Dockside charters are available and start at $600 per hour with a 2-hour minimum. Each additional hour is $600. For information on cruises or dockside charters call 510-627-1215 or email [email protected] . The Potomac is NOT available for charter on Mondays and Tuesdays except by special arrangement.

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• Description The USS Potomac, President Roosevelt's floating White House from 1936 to his death in 1945, is a National Historic Landmark. At 165-feet long and weighing over 300 tons, the historic vessel is truly a unique setting for any special event, whether an anniversary, wedding, birthday, reception, retirement party, corporate event, or memorial cruise. The Potomac is available year'round for charters, and the captain, crew and docents work diligently to ensure guests have the best possible experience and successful event. Captains consult with charterer to explore preferred their preferred route in the Bay. Preferred catering list available or charterer may provide th eir own as long as the vendor follows the Potomac's caterer guidelines.
• Reception Capacity 110
• Space Notes Maximum passenger capacity is 110 guests, not including catering servers, crew or docents.
• Number of Rooms 1

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Presidential yacht  potomac.

540 Water Street Oakland, CA 94607

(510) 627-1215

The Potomac Association is committed to preserving the legacy of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt through education for students and adults. Educational cruises highlight the impact of the FDR Era on our local and national history.

Docents lead educational tours of the Potomac and facilitate in classroom discussions with students of all ages.

All the President's Yachts: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of FDR's Floating White House

By Ben Marks — February 15th, 2017

It has come to our attention that our president lacks a yacht. That’s right: Donald J. Trump, who is so rich that our eyeballs would burn right out of their sockets if we so much as glimpsed his tax returns, is without a suitably luxurious means of floating on our nation’s great inland waterways or along its rocky shores. Our commander-in-chief reportedly owns a Boeing 757, a Cessna Citation X, a trio of helicopters, a pair of Rolls Royces, a Lamborghini Diablo, and a custom-made, gold-trimmed motorcycle from Orange County Choppers. But when it comes to watercraft, President Trump is up that proverbial creek without so much as a paddle.

“Roosevelt was a martini guy. A good cocktail was very important to him.”

Once upon a time, we the people supplied our presidents with a floating getaway. Leaders as politically dissimilar as Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter cruised aboard the 104-foot USS Sequoia , as did presidents Kennedy through Ford, while Truman and Eisenhower enjoyed the Williamsburg .

But the most famous and storied presidential yacht is the USS Potomac , which was a favorite escape for President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1936 until his death in 1945. Since 1981, the Potomac has been berthed in Oakland, California. In 1995, it opened to the public for tours and excursions on San Francisco Bay.

Top: In 1939, President Roosevelt (at center, holding the arm of a naval officer for support) entertained King George VI of England (to FDR’s right) aboard the Potomac . Also present were Queen Elizabeth and Eleanor Roosevelt (both to the King’s right). (Image by Harris & Ewing, via Wikimedia Commons ) Above: The Potomac at its berth in Oakland, California. (Image by Christopher J. Wood via Wikimedia Commons )

Few know as much about the Potomac ’s history as Les Dropkin, a retired actuary who has been an active volunteer with the nonprofit Potomac Association for more than 20 years. “The ship and I are contemporaries,” Dropkin says. “Growing up, FDR was the only president I knew.”

For people of Dropkin’s generation, the Potomac is a tangible link to Roosevelt, widely considered the greatest U.S. president of the modern era. For many more, the Potomac is a symbol of a time when America was united at home and abroad, weathering the Great Depression and winning World War II , albeit at the expense of Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during the conflict.

Recently, Dropkin explained the history of the Potomac during a guided tour of the vessel, which goes into dry dock later this year for $350,000-worth of Coast Guard-mandated inspections and repairs . “The Potomac started its life as the Electra ,” Dropkin begins, “one of 18 cutters built for the Coast Guard between 1931 and 1934.” When the first of these cutters were launched, Dropkin says, Prohibition was still the law of the land, so the 165-foot-long vessels were used as patrol boats designed to intercept bootleggers, primarily close to shore and on rivers such as the Hudson and Potomac. “By 1934, when the Electra was built,” he continues, “Prohibition had ended, but there was still a lot of smuggling by those who wanted to avoid the taxes on liquor.”

President Franklin Roosevelt aboard the USS Potomac , 1936. (Image via Yachts International )

Ships like the Electra earned their keep by foiling such tax cheats, but the Electra did this virtuous work for only a few months before it was selected, in 1935, to be President Roosevelt’s official yacht. “During the first years of his administration,” Dropkin says, “Roosevelt used a Department of Commerce vessel called the Sequoia as his presidential yacht.” President Hoover had sailed on the Sequoia , too, but only after Roosevelt’s election, during the final months of 1932. Upon taking office, Roosevelt, who enjoyed being on the water more than his predecessor, took to the Sequoia whenever his busy schedule would allow.

Hoover and Roosevelt were not the first presidents to enjoy such treatment. According to Dropkin, the idea of a presidential yacht took shape in the latter part of the 19th century. “As commander-in-chief,” Dropkin says, “a president can board any naval vessel he chooses. But in the 19th century, the idea evolved of perhaps having a naval vessel available for use by high government officials. Gradually, that narrowed to a vessel specifically for the president.”

The Sequoia , though, was not a perfect yacht for a head of state. “The Sequoia was only 104 feet long,” Dropkin explains. That meant the president’s Secret Service detail had to follow behind in a separate ship. At 165 feet in length, the Electra , when converted, would have room for two cabins for the Secret Service.

Roosevelt’s chief of staff, Missy LeHand, conferring with the president aboard the Potomac in 1939. (Image via the National Register of Historic Places )

Fire was another concern. “The Sequoia was a wood-hulled vessel—those in charge of Roosevelt’s safety wanted a ship made out of steel. So the president tasked his naval aide with the mission of finding a replacement vessel. Working with the Navy Department, the aide and his staff found four ships in the government’s fleet that might serve Roosevelt’s purposes. A list was presented to FDR and he selected the Electra , renaming it the Potomac .”

Using an existing Coast Guard cutter made economic sense—the Depression was no time for extravagance, even for a new president. But there was another reason why Roosevelt got the Potomac with its steel hull and room for onboard Secret Service officers. A polio victim since 1921, the 53-year-old president required a wheelchair to get around, so if a fire broke out on the short-staffed Sequoia, Roosevelt’s life would almost certainly be in danger.

Once the ship was selected, work began almost immediately to make the Potomac fit for a president. Some of these changes would have served any commander-in-chief, disabled or not. “From about the midships passageway forward,” Dropkin tells me as we stand on the dock in Oakland’s Jack London Square, “she looks very much as she did when she was a Coast Guard cutter. But from the midships passageway on back, that’s where the real changes occurred, the things that made her into the presidential yacht.”

The Potomac ‘s rear smokestack was converted into an elevator so the wheelchair-bound president could move freely between the ship’s two main decks.

The biggest change was to install a spacious, shaded aft deck, where Roosevelt could work or entertain while enjoying river or ocean breezes. “When the ship was a Coast Guard cutter, this deck did not exist,” Dropkin says, as we walk across its teak surface, “but it was a favorite area of the president.” That’s probably because the seating on the deck was designed with the wheelchair-bound Roosevelt in mind. Dropkin points to an upholstered settee that follows the curve of the ship’s stern. “It’s about 4 feet deep in the middle,” he says, “to support the president’s legs, something for him to stretch out on. You can almost imagine him sitting there, drink in hand.

“Roosevelt was a martini guy,” Dropkin continues. “A good cocktail was very important to him. He had started having cocktail hour when he was governor of New York, and brought the practice with him to the White House. His wife, Eleanor, wasn’t crazy about that, but they were different people.”

Other changes to the Electra that were more particular to Roosevelt included the removal of the floor coamings designed to contain water that might be sloshing on deck. For example, the low barrier was removed between the main dining room and the presidential bedroom, so that Roosevelt could get himself between the two spaces in his wheelchair. Even more dramatic was the conversion of one of the ship’s two smokestacks into an elevator, allowing the president to move freely between to ship’s two main decks. “An elevator was built into what had been the rear smokestack,” Dropkin says. “It’s an electric elevator now, but when the president used it, it was literally just a platform roped to a pulley. He would pull himself up, or let himself down, arm over arm. Roosevelt was very strong, and always wanted to do things for himself.”

In 1964, Elvis Presley, seen here with entertainer Danny Thomas, purchased the Potomac and donated it to Saint Jude’s Hospital, which promptly sold it. (Image via the Potomac Association )

Often the Potomac was treated as a sort of floating White House. In August 1941, it even ferried the president part of the way to a secret meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill prior to the U.S. involvement in World War II. However, Dropkin says the most typical use of the ship by FDR was for weekend fishing cruises. “They’d board at the Washington, D.C., Navy Yard on, say, Saturday morning and sail down the Potomac River into Chesapeake Bay. Then, they’d find a nice cove, anchor, and spend the weekend fishing.”

Along for the ride was what Dropkin characterizes as “a very, very large crew. There were 42 enlisted men, 12 stewards, and three officers,” he says. “If you count up the number of available bunks and divide, you’ll see it doesn’t add up. So they had what are called hot bunks, to put it in naval terms. When one sailor was on duty, another would sleep. Basically, they’d take turns.”

If the Potomac was initially known for its famous, presidential passenger, after FDR’s death, in 1945, it would eventually become infamous. From 1946 until 1960, the ship was used by the Maryland Tidewater Fisheries Commission, and occasionally by that state’s governor. After that, though, it would begin a slow decline. In 1960, the Potomac was sold and pressed into service as a ferry in the Caribbean, until a different entrepreneur got the bright idea of sailing the ship through the Panama Canal to show her off at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. The aging vessel got as far as Southern California, where it languished until 1964, when it was purchased by Elvis Presley at an auction. Apparently, The King shelled out the $55,000 hammer price because he didn’t like the idea of seeing FDR’s yacht chopped into pieces for scrap, but never really want to own the Potomac , so he promptly donated the ship to the Saint Jude Hospital of Memphis, which just as promptly sold it to the first in a series of dreamers and schemers.

In 1981, the Potomac sank in 35 feet of water while docked at the Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco Bay. (Image by U.S. Customs, via the Potomac Association )

By August of 1980, the Potomac would be towed for repairs to Pier 26 in San Francisco, where, the following month, it was seized by U.S. Customs and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Although drugs were never found aboard the Potomac , a ship owned by the same owner and anchored alongside the Potomac was loaded with contraband. According to Dropkin’s history of this dark moment in the Potomac ’s past, a Southern California drug ring had been using the Potomac ’s good name, and a fake charity called “The Crippled Children’s Society,” as a front. That October, the Potomac was towed again, this time to the nearby Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco Bay where, the following March, its hull was punctured by broken pilings, causing it to sink in 35 feet of water.

The story might have ended there, but once the ship was raised and the hole in its hull was patched, the Potomac was purchased in April of 1981 at yet another auction. This time, the new owner was the Port of Oakland, whose winning bid of $15,000 was also the only bid. But the port’s then-executive director, Walter Abernathy, saw the Potomac as an opportunity for the community and historians alike. Shortly after taking possession of the ship, the port authorized “$400,000 in seed money to restore the ship to its appearance during the Roosevelt era and operate it as a historical and educational resource.” By 1983, the Potomac Association had incorporated to manage the ship’s upkeep and programs, and elected FDR’s oldest son, James, as its chairman. Finally, in 1985, a sitting president, Ronald Reagan, got involved, personally recommending a $2.5 million grant for the ship’s restoration. The grant was approved and matched, and in 1990, the Potomac was designated a National Historical Landmark .

For more than two decades, Les Dropkin has been a tireless volunteer for the Potomac Association .

As we walk through the Potomac , Dropkin explains the limits of a restoration project for a vessel that had seen decades of neglect before sinking. “There’s very little that’s original from the FDR era on the ship today,” he says. “Essentially, everything you see is a re-creation.”

In an effort to get the details right, the restorers carefully studied photographs of the ship during its FDR days, from the furniture to the draperies. And because there were records of the ship’s original construction and subsequent retrofit for the president, the Potomac Association was able to replicate its construction techniques. “When the Electra was built as a Coast Guard cutter, it was a riveted ship,” Dropkin says. “But when it was converted to become the presidential yacht, they had started to use welding. In the restoration, we maintained the ratios—what was welded was re-welded, where there had been rivets we used rivets. A very major concern in the restoration was to make it historically accurate to the fullest extent we could.”

Today, such attention to detail, as well as the $350,000 needed to pay for the Potomac ’s upcoming drydocking, might seem like a luxury the country can’t afford in the face of multi-trillion-dollar deficits. But is $350,000 really all that much to honor the memory of one of our nation’s greatest presidents? After all, we are spending about half that amount every single day to protect our current president’s latest wife, who has chosen not to live in the White House with her husband, at least until their 10-year-old son finishes the school year. Naturally, most parents will be sympathetic with that decision, if not the expense. By comparison, $350,000 to help us remember the man who told a fearful nation that the only thing it had to fear was fear itself, and then proceeded to lead the fight against Adolf Hitler, seems like a rather good deal.

( If you would like to help keep FDR’s yacht shipshape, visit the Potomac Association )

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3 comments so far

At the very end of an otherwise entertaining article, Ben just couldn’t resist taking a cheap shot at the very charming and elegant Mrs. Trump.

As Mr. Marks illustrates, Trump Derangement Syndrome is a horrible disease.

Mr. Marks’ comment about federal expenditures is very timely and appropriate. At a time when we are spending about a million dollars a day to cover the new president’s own travel and family security expenses (including three golfing vacations during his first month in office), 8 hours’ worth of that security and travel to help restore the Potomac, a National Historic Landmark, seems well justified. A very nice article.

Mr Dodsworth, the charming and elegant Mrs Trump is costing the city of New York somewhat around $1,ooo,ooo a DAY for police coverage for each day she chooses to reside not in the White House but at Trump Tower. That is over and above the expense for Secret Service coverage for EIGHTEEN Trump family members. Mr Mark’s innocuous comment was hardly a cheap shot, but perhaps you would enjoy some dip for the chip on your shoulder.

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1. River Queen

Served grant and lincoln, 1865-1866, 2. uss despatch , 1873, served cleveland, 1880-1891, 3. uss dolphin 1884.

Dolphin was the first Navy ship to fly the Flag of the President of the United States during President Chester A. Arthur's administration, and the second Navy ship to serve as a presidential yacht.

4. USS Sylph , 1890

USS Sylph (PY-5) was a steam yacht that served as a presidential yacht from the late 19th century through to the early 1920s. A converted yacht, she was purchased in June 1898 from her builder, the Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding and Engine Works, of Chester, Pennsylvania, and commissioned on 18 August 1898 at the Norfolk Navy Yard.

5. USS Mayflower , 1896

Mayflower —a luxurious steam yacht built in 1896 by J. and G. Thompson, Clydebank, Scotland for millionaire Ogden Goelet who died on board the Mayflower in August 1897.  The following year she was purchased by the U.S. Navy to help fight the Spanish Navy off Cuba.  Around 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt had her re-purposed as a presidential yacht, which could be used to conduct diplomacy in addition to serving as a nautical means of transportation for the Commander-in-Chief. With her long bowsprit, tall masts, elegant lines, and white paint, she was sure to make a good impression on visiting foreign diplomats. In fact, that same year aboard the ship President Roosevelt hosted the formal negotiations between Russia and Japan to end the Russo-Japanese War. The  Mayflower  continued to serve as the presidential yacht under Presidents Taft, Wilson, Harding, and Coolidge. One of Herbert Hoover's early acts as president was to dispense with Mayflower as an economy measure, saving upkeep costs of $300,000 per year. (More about Mayflower at the Coolidge Foundation .)

6. USS Sequoia , 1925

The yacht is 104 feet (32 m) long, with a wooden hull, and was designed by John Trumpy Sr., a well-known shipbuilder. It includes a presidential stateroom, guest bedrooms, a galley and dining room, and was at one time retrofitted with an elevator for Franklin D. Roosevelt (Lyndon Johnson had it removed and replaced with a liquor bar).

The ship was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. Following years of neglect and legal battles over ownership, Sequoia is last reported to be in extremely poor condition in Chesapeake Boat Works in Deltaville, Virginia (2017). Her owners estimate that removal of the yacht would require a specialized crane and complete reconstruction of the hull.

7. USS Potomac , 1934

USS Potomac (AG-25) , formerly USCGC Electra , was Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential yacht from 1936 until his death in 1945. A National Historic Landmark, Potomac is now berthed in Oakland, CA, and is available for public tours and cruises.  https://www.usspotomac.org

Potomac is also an Honorary Member of the CYA.

8. USS Williamsburg , 1930

The USS Williamsburg   relieved Potomac as presidential yacht on 10 November 1945. She served Presidents Truman and Eisenhower.

During Truman’s tenure, she embarked such American and foreign notables as Secretary of State George Marshall, President Miguel Alemán of Mexico; and two successive British Prime Ministers, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. During the ship's first tour as presidential yacht, she cruised the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay regions, while occasionally venturing into the open sea for cruises to Florida, Bermuda, Cuba, and the Virgin Islands.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, made only one cruise in Williamsburg before ordering her decommissioned.  Accordingly decommissioned at the Washington Navy Yard on 30 June 1953, she was turned over to the Potomac River Naval Command for maintenance and preservation. Subsequently shifted to Newport, Rhode Island, she remained in "special status" from about 2 April 1959. Williamsburg was struck from the Navy list on 1 April 1962.

9. Honey Fitz , 1931

The 93-foot wooden yacht was originally built in 1931 by Defoe Shipyard in Bay City, Michigan for Sewell Avery, a prominent businessman from Chicago, who mostly used it to cruise around Lake Michigan. On June 23, 1945, Lenore became a tender for the USS Potomac . Retaining the yacht’s original name, Truman renamed the tender the yacht Lenore II and mainly used her as a tender for the Williamsburg .

Eisenhower decided the Williamsburg was “too rich for my blood,” and retired her, choosing instead the Lenore II, which he renamed Barbara Anne after one of his granddaughters.

The wooden yacht acquired a more public profile in the 1960’s during John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s presidency. JFK renamed her Honey Fitz , the nickname used by his maternal grandfather.

Johnson continued to use the yacht during his administration, mainly for dinner and cocktail parties.

By the time Nixon came to office, the Honey Fitz was a well-known yacht. Although Nixon renamed the yacht Patricia after his wife, the press and indeed everyone, continued to think of the yacht as Honey Fitz. Nixon sold Honey Fitz in 1970.

Honey Fitz has been fully restored and is available for charters in Florida. Honey Fitz Facebook page

10. Manitou , 1937

Manitou is a 62-foot-long performance cruising yacht designed and built for racing. She served as J.F.K.'s yacht during his presidency. She was built in 1937 at the M. M. Davis & Son shipyard in Solomons Island, Maryland, Design No. 99 of naval architects Sparkman & Stephens, who built many America's Cup racing yachts.

After a successful racing career, Manitou was sold in 1955 and donated to the US Coast Guard to be used as a training vessel at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

President Kennedy used Manitou while he was in office. Manitou was returned to private ownership in 1968 when she became a training vessel for the Harry Lundenburg School of Seamanship in Maryland.

She had an extensive refit in 2011, and is now in the Medeterranean and available for charter on the French Riveira.

U.S. State Yachts

1. washington state: olympus , 1929.

Launched as "Junaluska" in 1929, the yacht came west in the thirties and was used by the military in WWII.  Following the war she was acquired by the State of Washington and renamed Olympus .  She was ostensibly intended as a fisheries patrol vessel, but was actually used as a yacht by the governor, Mon Walgren.  After failing to win re-election in 1948, the state sold the yacht. 

Current location: New York

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USS Potomac, FDR’s Presidential Yacht – Oakland CA

Description.

The USS Potomac served as Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidential yacht from 1936 until his death in 1945.  FDR was a great yachtsman in his youth and loved being aboard the Potomac, which he used for  political meetings and fishing trips to get away from the White House.

The Potomac was originally built in 1934 by the Manitowoc Ship Building Company, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The Public Works Administration (PWA) assisted with the funding of the construction. It was originally the USCGC Electra, and renamed the USS Potomac in 1936.

The Potomac is now preserved in Oakland, California as a National Historic Landmark and is available for events while cruising on San Francisco bay (but not through the Living New Deal!)

Source notes

National Archives Record Group 69-PWA

Site originally submitted by Brent McKee on October 1, 2016. Additional contributions by Richard A Walker.

Location Info

540 Water St Oakland, CA 94607 Alameda County

Coordinates: 37.795822, -122.279236

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• Dione, Electra, and Pandora Photo by: National Archives Record Group 69-PWA
• USS Potomac - Oakland CA Photo by: Richard A Walker
• Plaque at USS Potomac - Oakland CA Photo by: Richard A Walker

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Presidential Yacht USS Potomac

Introduction.

Text-to-speech Audio

The USS Potomac Docked in Oakland

The USS Potomac During FDR's Presidency, 1938

The USS Potomac with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth On Board with Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, June 9, 1939

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt with Queen Elizabeth and King George VI on the USS Potomac, 1939

FDR's Berth on the USS Potomac

Elvis Presley Deeding the USS Potomac to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Pictured with Danny Thomas, 1964

Backstory and Context

The yacht that would come to be known as the "Floating White House" was built in 1934 as a Coast Guard Cutter and given the name Electra . Two years later, the US Navy refitted the 165-foot vessel and commissioned it. President Franklin Roosevelt conferred with his naval aide Captain Wilson Brown to come up with a historically-inspired name for the new yacht and decided on the Potomac . Prior to the Potomac , Roosevelt had been using the Sequoia as his presidential yacht, but the Potomac was the preferred vessel because it was made of steel rather than wood and was less likely to catch on fire. In addition, it was larger than the Sequoia and could hold more presidential staff and Secret Service.

To make the presidential yacht handicap accessible for the president, an elevator was installed in the rear funnel so FDR could go back and forth from the main deck to the boat deck. The USS Potomac was used as more than just a private yacht to sail and relax, FDR even delivered one of his famous "fireside chats" from the Potomac in 1941. Every Sunday when the president was on board, a sea plane would bring anything that required the president's signature as well as newspapers and whatever FDR needed to stay updated on current events. When he was not working, the president spent time working on his stamp collection, fishing, and reading detective books.

The Potomac was also used for diplomatic purposes, such as when President and Mrs. Roosevelt hosted King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in June of 1939. The yacht carried the royals and presidential couple, as well as a large entourage, from Washington, D.C. to George Washington's Mount Vernon just down the river. In 1941, shortly before Pearl Harbor, FDR sailed on the Potomac to secretly meet with Winston Churchill and draft the Atlantic Charter. As the United States became embroiled in World War II, FDR had less and less time to spend on the Potomac , and the risk for German submarine attack also increased. After Roosevelt's death in April of 1945, the yacht was decommissioned. Harry Truman and his family used it just once in May of 1945.

After its decommission, the Potomac passed through the hands of different owners and was intended to serve as an attraction at the Seattle World's Fair in 1962. This, however, did not happen and the future of the historic vessel seemed destined for the scrap yard. Upon hearing this, Elvis Presley intervened and purchased the Potomac . On Valentine's Day 1964, Elvis deeded the Potomac over to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in a large public event held in Long Beach, California. Yet the Potomac continued to pass from owner to owner and eventually sunk at Treasure Island, and shortly thereafter it was raised and sold by the U.S. Customs to the Port of Oakland.

The Port then authorized $400,000 to restore the ship to as it was during FDR's presidency. In 1983, the nonprofit Potomac Association named Franklin and Eleanor's oldest son, James, as its chairman and President Ronald Reagan issued a $2.5 million dollar grant to restore the Potomac . In 1990, the USS Potomac was designated a National Historic Landmark. Five years later, the Potomac was opened to visitors. Although much of what visitors see is a restoration and not the original furnishings, they relish cruising on the only presidential yacht open to the public docked in the Port of Oakland.

The Potomac Association. History, USS Potomac. Accessed January 29th 2020. https://www.usspotomac.org/history/.

Phifer, Evan. USS Potomac: Franklin Roosevelt's Presidential Yacht, The White House Historical Association. September 25th 2017. Accessed January 30th 2020. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/uss-potomac-franklin-roosevelts-presidential-yacht.

Hanson, Alan. The USS Potomac … Elvis Presley's Gift to St. Jude Hospital, Elvis History Blog. February 1st 2017. Accessed January 30th 2020. http://www.elvis-history-blog.com/elvis-potomac.html.

Marks, Ben. http://www.elvis-history-blog.com/elvis-potomac.html, Collector's Weekly. February 15th 2017. Accessed January 30th 2020. https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-rise-fall-and-resurrection-of-fdrs-floating-white-house/.

Oakland Magazine

National Archives and Records Administration

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

Library of Congress

Elvis History Blog

Additional Information

• Docent Steve Teel Explains the Historical Significance of the USS Potomac

Where would you like to go on the Bay, and what would you like to see? The USS Potomac offers cruise opportunities on the San Francisco Bay where you will see the bridges and islands, among many other wonderful sights.

While you cruise, you will hear about the history of the San Francisco Bay and FDR’s role in its development. Our public cruises include live narration from experienced, enthusiastic volunteers.

You may also choose to enjoy an hour-long docent-led dockside tour as a way to see and enjoy the ship. Walk in the footsteps of presidents and kings.

Public Cruises

The USS Potomac normally operates live-narrated San Francisco Bay public cruises from April through Veteran's Day in November. Emphasis is placed on the history of the Bay Area and the surrounding landmarks and the effect FDR’s administration had on the Bay Area. Guests may watch a 15-minute video in the Visitor Center prior to the cruise. The video provides a glimpse of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s use of the USS Potomac, emphasizes the impact of his administration on the country, and tells the USS Potomac restoration story.

The Presidential Yacht USS Potomac is a historically preserved vessel. As such, it does not fully comply with the facility access standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ship allows limited access for the mobility impaired. Wheelchairs are limited to the main deck only. Restrooms onboard the ship are not accessible as the maximum wheelchair width (outside of wheel to outside of wheel) is 25 inches. Accessible restrooms are available in the Port of Oakland Buildings next to the Potomac. USS Potomac docents and crew are not allowed to provide physical assistance to mobility impaired individuals; including lifting occupied wheelchairs over obstacles.

See Our Schedule and Purchase Tickets

Buy Tickets →

Tickets are NOT being sold over the phone OR at the USS Potomac Visitor's Center.

Safety Requirements While on the Vessel

The USS Potomac Association requires that all guests wear flat-soled shoes onboard. High heeled or platform shoes present a risk to the wearer. Vessels on the Bay can roll and pitch unexpectedly. Also, if guests partake in drinking alcohol, which may be served during an event, their stability will be more negatively affected by high heeled or platform shoes.

DO NOT carry food, drinks, or anything else in both hands while going up or down any ladders (stairs). This presents a significant safety risk to you should the ship roll or pitch unexpectedly.

THERE IS NO SMOKING OR VAPING ANYWHERE OR ANYTIME ON THE USS POTOMAC.

Proof of vaccination and masks are no longer required on the USS Potomac. HOWEVER, there are many confined spaces on the ship, so masks are optional for your protection and the protection of others.

Dockside Tours

The USS Potomac is open for dockside tours on specified Wednesdays and Sundays. Tours are scheduled at 11:00 AM and 12:30 PM.

Purchase tickets on the USS Potomac website. Tickets are only available online—they are not sold at the Visitor Center.

Docent-Led Tours

Tours begin with a 15-minute video in the Visitor Center followed by a 1-hour docent-led tour of the ship. The video provides a glimpse of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s use of the USS Potomac during his administration, and the USS Potomac’s restoration story.

For groups of 10 or more for Dockside tours, please call (510) 627-1215 BEFORE purchasing tickets. Special arrangements have to be made to schedule additional docents.

General Admission: $10.00 Admission for ages 9 and under: Free

Washington St Garage between 2nd St and Embarcadero St, one block from the USS Potomac. We do not validate parking.

The Presidential Yacht USS Potomac is a historically preserved vessel. As such, it does not fully comply with the facility access standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ship allows limited access for the mobility impaired. Wheelchairs are limited to the main deck only. The restrooms onboard the ship are not wheelchair accessible as the maximum wheelchair width (outside of wheel to outside of wheel) is 25 inches. USS Potomac docents and crew are not allowed to provide physical assistance to mobility impaired individuals; including lifting occupied wheelchairs over obstacles.

Private Charters

The USS Potomac, President Roosevelt's floating White House, is available for private charter throughout the year. Whether for an anniversary, wedding, reception, corporate event, retirement party, memorial cruise, or any other occasion, the USS Potomac is a truly unique venue for any very special day. We offer a preferred caterer list or you may provide your own as long as the vendor follows our caterer guidelines.

For information on cruises or dockside charters, call (510) 627-1215 or email jpettley@usspotomac.org .

Ship Capacity

Maximum passenger load is 100 guests. Your catering servers are additional to your guest list.

The USS Potomac sails from the foot of Clay St in Jack London Square, Oakland, CA. Pickups & drop-offs may be available for your event at a San Francisco or Sausalito waterfront location. Approvals are required by the USS Potomac Executive Director after consultation with the ship's captains. If approved, additional charges will be incurred. For questions, please email jpettley@usspotomac.org .

For 2024, the fee for a minimum three-hour charter cruise on the USS Potomac starts at $8,500. Each additional hour is $1,500. For 501(c)3 nonprofits, the rate is $7,000 for a three-hour cruise. If you wish a pick up and drop off at San Francisco's Oracle Park or in Sausalito, there is an additional fee of $1,500. Dockside charters are $900 for the first hour. Each additional hour is $500. Nonprofit dockside charters are $800 for the first hour, and $500 each additional hour thereafter.

Fleet Week charter pricing is not included. Fleet Week charters are by special arrangement.

To set up your charter, please contact the Potomac office at jpettley@usspotomac.org or call (510) 627-1215 .

Preferred Caterers

The USS Potomac has a preferred list of fine caterers; all have served successfully aboard the ship. These caterers are familiar with the unique requirements of the vessel. Find the Preferred Caterers List here .

Entertainers

Space is limited. Power accommodations are available and live entertainment and DJs are welcome aboard the Potomac bar. We can make suggestions for your entertainment needs. We have a full-ship Bogen Sound System with wireless mic; CDs, iPods, and smartphones can be accommodated.

For the safety of you and your guests, the USS Potomac Association requires the wearing of flat-soled shoes while onboard. High heeled or platform shoes are not permitted, as they present a risk to the wearer. Vessels on the Bay can roll and pitch unexpectedly. Also, if your guests partake in drinking alcohol you serve during your event, their stability will be more negatively affected by high heeled or platform shoes.

There is no smoking or vaping anywhere or anytime on the USS Potomac.

Two to four volunteer USS Potomac docents will be present for your event and are delighted to conduct informal tours for your guests.

Days and Times

The USS Potomac is NOT available for charter on Mondays and Tuesdays, except by special arrangement.

The Presidential Yacht USS Potomac is a historically preserved vessel. As such, it does not fully comply with the facility access standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ship allows limited access for the mobility impaired. Wheelchairs are limited to the main deck only. The restrooms onboard the ship are not accessible. Restrooms are available at the dock near the Potomac. The maximum wheelchair width (outside of wheel to outside of wheel) is 25 inches. USS Potomac docents and crew are not allowed to provide physical assistance to mobility impaired individuals; including lifting occupied wheelchairs over obstacles.

Hear What Others Are Saying About Our Private Charters!

“the entire cruise truly exceeded my expectations in every way my guests are still talking about it, and i will never forget such a memorable and moving day.”.

– From a 50th wedding anniversary charter

“I also want to more than thank the Docents on board… for our surprise birthday charter. They were more than wonderful… They wanted to give our guests a very rich experience… How great was that? The crew, [the] captain, [and] the professionalism of your operation made my worries just fly away when I boarded the ship… thank you for allowing me, as the hostess, to also enjoy the party to its fullest.”

– From a double surprise birthday charter

“Kudos to you, your staff, the crew, and especially to the affable captain, who made it all look so easy! I would be happy to be called upon as a reference, should the need arise.”

– From the bride on a wedding cruise

“We’ve been on the [USS] Potomac five times, each has been unique, and all have been a joy… Your guys are absolutely wonderful.”

– From a regular guest

USS Potomac

Michael Roosevelt, the grandson of Franklin D. Roosevelt, conducted a tour of the USS Potomac , the Roosevelt presidential yacht.

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