If JFK chose MANITOU for her good looks and speed – who are we to argue ? Olin Stephens (Design No 99) drew her in 1936 from the same bloodline as DORADE and STORMY WEATHER for her first owner who wanted to win races – and she is at 62 ft a bigger boat than her sisters and offering more space and luxury below. Designed to sail well in both light airs and heavy weather; on the Mediterranean classic race circuit she has more than proven her capabilities in winning many regattas outright. The current owners have stopped at nothing in maintaining MANITOU to ensure she is probably as strong as she ever was and cosmetically immaculate.
James Lowe of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and member of both the Chicago and New York Yacht Clubs, commissioned the young naval architect, Olin Stephens, to design him a yacht that could win the Chicago-Mackinac Race. Named after the Manitou passage on Lake Michigan – and meaning “Spirit of the water”, she was launched in 1937 and in short order fulfilled her owner’s desire; breaking the elapsed time record and 1st across the line in 1938 – and winning handsomely on corrected time. She was second across the line in 1939 but first again in 1940 and 41. She also won the Port Huron-Mackinac Race in 1940 setting a new record for that race, taking almost two hours off the course record and beating her nearest rival by more than five hours.
When Mr. Lowe was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in the summer of 1942, MANITOU moved on. In 1956 she was donated to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy where she was used to teach the cadets sailing, seamanship and how to work together as a crew.
At the time of John F. Kennedy’s election, the Presidential yacht was a 92 ft power boat. Although he changed her name to “HONEY FITZ” in honour of his grandfather; JFK was really a sailor at heart and sent naval aide John Tazwell in search of a suitable sailboat for presidential use. With her good looks and pedigree, MANITOU was quickly selected and brought to Chesapeake Bay. Among other things she had to be fitted with all the communication equipment to ensure the President would never be out of touch with his office – or even indeed the Kremlin while on board.
Jack Kennedy was to use her often there and in New England. He never raced her formally, but once off Newport during the summer of 1962 he tried to engage his friend Emil “Bus” Mosbacher’s 12 Metre WEATHERLY in a friendly sparring match. Unfortunately the Secret Service following in a patrol boat intercepted the future successful America’s Cup defender before she got close enough, much to the chagrin of the President.
In 1968 MANITOU was auctioned to the Harry Lundeburg School of Seamanship, run by the Seafarer’s International Union under its then strong leader, Paul Hall. Aristotle Onassis, about to marry Jackie Kennedy in October 1968, sought to buy the yacht – apparently at any price. Long a defender of the common man however Mr Hall refused all offers, preferring to keep MANITOU for teaching less privileged young people about boats.
In 1999, MANITOU was purchased by Laura Kilbourne, grand daughter of her original owner James Lowe, bringing her back into the family. Taken to Chesapeake Marine Railway in Deltaville, Virginia – not far from where she was built, the boat started a major refit, great pains taken with the intention of keeping her as original with butternut panelling and use of all the original hardware still with the boat. Before all was complete however family circumstances intervened and in late 2010 she was sold to four joint owners and the refitting; expected to prolong her sailing career for many years to come was completed in early 2011. She was then shipped to the Mediterranean
– Carvel mahogany hull planking fastened with bronze to oak frames
– Solid teak deck planking fastened to solid mahogany beams traditionally caulked and payed
– Varnished teak cover board
– Varnished teak cockpit coamings
– Mahogany superstructure elevations
– All through hulls replaced with bronze ball valves
Accommodation for up to 8 in 3 cabins
– 7 Step companionway ladder down to saloon
– Varnished solid teak deck head and beams and cabin sole
– Varnished mahogany hull lining battens
– All new rich high gloss butternut raised panel joinery
– 2 x Large single settee berths; one each side with 6 drawers behind sofa backs
– Oak fiddled saloon table seats up to 8 to original design with bottle locker and drawers
– Butterfly hatch skylight over table
– 2 x Single pilot berths outboard; one each side with book cases at aft ends
– Original solid fuel fireplace in port fwd bulkhead
– Glass fronted liquor and mini bar lockers port and stbd
– Joinery chests with 5 drawers fwd each side
– Deck prisms, deck head light and 2 x reading lights and dimmer controlled spotlights
Forward to Head compartment port side
– Automatic WC and ceramic washbasin with hot and cold mixer
– Deep locker under side deck
– Numerous drawers in bulkhead
– Locker with vanity mirror door
– Large hanging locker opposite to stbd and further locker beyond
Full beam walk through galley by the main mast
– 4 burner propane hob and oven to port
– 2 x Stainless steel sinks with hot and cold mixer set in custom countertop
– Built in stainless steel microwave oven
– Secure stowage for crockery etc in racks out board and lockers under worktop
– Massive USA pattern fridge both top and side loading to stbd
– Shelving over to stbd
– Raised hatch in deckhead
– Adjustable and hidden halogen lighting
Fore cabin
– 2 x Vee berths with stowage under
– Lockers with louvred doors each side
– Anchor locker under berths forward
– Booby hatchway in deck head exit to fore deck
Coming aft via the saloon and companionway steps
– Full size chart table and navigation station by opening port
– Concealed housing behind butternut doors for instrumentation
– B&G Chart plotter
– Flag locker
– Ship’s isolator / distributor panel
– Schatz ship’s clock
Aft to Owner’s cabin
– Butterfly hatch skylight in white painted deck head over and 4 x opening ports
– 1 x Double berth with drawers under to stbd
– 1 x Single berth with drawers under to port with adjoining banquette
– Desk / dressing table with vanity mirror on centreline concealing access to engine below
– Numerous drawers in joinery
– Pistol locker
– Bathtub in cabin sole as original
– 2 x Bulkhead lights
– 2 x Reading lights
– Access to lazarette and engine space in aft bulkhead
Owner’s en suite head compartment
– Automatic WC and ceramic washbasin with hot and cold mixer
– Numerous drawers in joinery
– Locker with vanity mirror door
– 3 x Bulkhead lights
Rig
– Modified in 2013 to conventional 7/8th rig
– 2 x Sets of spreaders on main mast with forestay at 7/8th
– Standing rigging new 2011
All spars Oregon pine
– Original main mast with two spreaders
– Single spreader Pasqui built mizzen mast new 2014
– Both booms original
– Spinnaker pole by Collars 2014
Sails
– Main sail Quantum 2011
– Genoa No 1 170% North Sails 2014
– Genoa No 1 170% Quantum 2011
– Genoa No 2 155% Quantum 2011
– Genoa No 3 110% Quantum 2011
– Yankee Quantum 2011
– Stay sail Quantum 2011
– Mizzen sail Quantum 2011
– Mizzen staysail Quantum 2011
– Symmetric spinnaker 200 sq m Quantum 2011
– Asymmetric Spinnaker 1, 270 sq m North Sails 2014
– Asymmetric Spinnaker 2, 220 sq m Quantum 2011
– Bronze fairleads on taffrail
– Bronze mooring cleats each side
– Bronze Panama eyes in bulwark
– Varnished king plank
– Mizzen mast with 2 x Arco Hutton halyard winches
– Cockpit divided by bronze main sheet track beam
– 2 x Arco Hutton 57 winches on wooden mounts outside coaming for running backstay
– 2 x Barient 35 R Genoa sheet winches on wooden mounts outside coaming
– Bridge deck with hatch access to engine and batteries
– Yanmar engine controls in trunk cabin aft bulkhead
– 3 digital B&G repeater 2 analogue displays in cockpit
– Short low trunk cabin in the style of S&S yachts of this period and dimensions
– 2 x Bronze engine vents on coach roof
– 2 x Arco Hutton 45 winches; one each side for main sheet and spinnaker
– Small butterfly hatch
– Varnished booby hatch with bronze fore cover fwd on trunk for access below
– 2 x Varnished teak dorade boxes; one each side with bronze cowl vents
– Varnished teak handrails along coach roof each side
– 2 x Bronze Genoa tracks on toe rail; one each side
– 2 x Deck prisms each side of trunk cabin
– 2 x Bronze Panama fairleads and bronze mooring cleats; one each side mid deck
– 2 x Varnished teak dorade boxes; one each side with bronze cowl vents
– Jib tracks each side for staysail
– Main mast with 2 x Arco Hutton and 2 x Arco Hutton 45 halyard winches
– Bronze spinnaker pole track on leading edge of main Mast
– Raised hatch fwd of mast
– 2 x Varnished teak dorade boxes; one each side with bronze cowl vents
– Booby hatch access to fore cabin
– Bronze Muir electric anchor windlass with winch, capstan and foot controls
– Chock mountings port side for spinnaker pole stowage
– Inner forestay
– Panama fairleads
– Lewmar 75 lb CQR anchor on bow roller
– Bronze stem head fitting
– Yanmar 115HP Diesel engine
– Borg Warner velvet drive to Walters V drive
– 1 ¼ inch bronze shaft
– Stuffing box seal on shaft
– Engine alternator
– 12 V DC circuit
– 2 x Lithium iron 320 Ah 12 V batteries
– Mastervolt system
– New boat cable wiring throughout
– Interior plugs are GFCI protected
– All lights LED new 2011
– 1 x 95 Gallon / 360 litre fuel tank
– 2 x 74 Gallon / 280 litre fresh water tanks
– 1 x 5 Gallon / 20 litre water heater
– Grey water tank
– Black Holding tank
– Original Kelvin White steering compass mounted on Herreshoff pedestal
– B&G H3000 system with Zeus 12 plotter at nav station and Zeus 8 plotter in cockpit
– B&G Wind
– B&G Auto pilot
– Z8 chart plotter
– Garmin AIS
– Garmin VHF radio
– Winslow 8 man offshore life raft (2011)
– 2 x EPIRBs
– 18 inflatable life jackets (2011) and harnesses
– 2 x Rule 3700 GPH 12 V electric bilge pumps with floats
– 1 x 120 V sump installed emergency pump
– Fireboy FE-241 auto fire extinguisher
In the restoration of MANITOU great pain has been taken to keep her as original with butternut panelling and use of all the original hardware and fittings still with the boat. Nevertheless her deck and much of her hull planking have been replaced and her interior has been completely rebuilt and refinished.
2010-11 Replaced stem, various planking, new plumbing, electrics, wiring. All standing rigging, all winches – primary winches only kept. All deck fittings refurbished where possible or renewed, all spars stripped re varnished and fittings refurbished.
– 2012 Garboards replaced, some new planking
– 2013 Below waterline re caulked and refastened
– 2013 -15 Topsides re fastened.
