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Presidential Yacht "Sequoia" - Congress Approves Purchase

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by YachtForums, Nov 26, 2004.

  1. YachtForums, Nov 26, 2004
    #1
    YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Congress authorizes $2 million to buy back the one-time presidential yacht Sequoia, sold off 27 years ago as a long-overdue economy move.

    Built in 1926 as a private yacht, Sequoia was purchased by the Commerce Department for Prohibition patrol duties in 1931. In 1933 she was acquired by the Navy as the presidential yacht. She served in this capacity until replaced by the Potomac in 1936. Sequoia then served as the Secretary of the Navy's yacht until 1969, when she became a dual-use yacht for the President and other high-ranking government officials, replacing the Williamsburg. In 1977 she was sold at President Carter's orders. A private foundation acquired the yacht in 1985 with the intent of returning her to government service. Unfortunately this foundation went bankrupt in 1988 and the yacht lay derilect for nearly a decade. Eventually coming under the ownership of Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Sequoia has been fully restored and once again operates along the Potomac.

    Here's a pic from "yester-year"....

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  2. alloyed2sea, Nov 27, 2004
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    alloyed2sea

    alloyed2sea Moderator

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    Great Day

    HUZ-ZAH!
    A country as large & powerful as this one, should not be "afraid" to own a presidential yacht (10X) as big as the Sequoia.
    Interestingly, we see her regularly on the Potomac River during the summer months. It's literally like history steaming by - you can just see Winston chewing on a big cigar, and Truman playing cards and drinking bourbon in the aft salon.
    Heck, I even remember seeing her going by with 4 helicopters trailing behind when I was a kid. (We used to hang on the Virginia shores of the river). Nixon was on board.
    Lately, she finds herself docked at Mount Vernon Plantation (George Washington's old mansion) - chartered out, with music playing, and flags flying on many occasions. Docked up river in "the Channel" (Between the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers) - she looked in fine fettle when I saw her last.
    Three cheers!
  3. brian eiland, Dec 9, 2004
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    brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    She is a beauty.

    The only problem is that the President will never get to use her. The current size of the his Secret Service group, let alone guest, would sink her.
  4. AMG, Dec 10, 2004
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    AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    The Swedish State Yacht is about 15 feet long and many heads of state has been on her during the last 50 years, including Nikita Chrustjev and Macmillan....

    Here is a picture when a President as a threat to get what he wanted from the Swedish Prime Minister who was at the oars, started to drill a hole in the bottom! Fortunately it was just a joke since he was only a "president" of a Swedish Province which pretends to be an independent republic. :)

    I have once proposed to build a Swedish Royal Yacht with a little better security, about 80 meters long, but it was said that Swedes in general should take it as an insult if our governing guys got such a precious toy....

    So we continue with our little row-boat ;)

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  5. alloyed2sea, Jan 31, 2005
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    alloyed2sea

    alloyed2sea Moderator

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  6. YachtForums, Jan 31, 2005
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    YachtForums

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    Preserving a piece of history might not be a bad idea. As a museum piece, possibly the public would be able to tour & board her, learn more about her history. As it stands, the presidential yacht is reserved for heads of state, dignitaries, etc. It's only an entertainment platform for them.

    Hhmmm....