By Mark Edward Nero
The presidential yacht Potomac is once again plying the waters of San Francisco Bay after recently undergoing a maintenance drydocking at Bay Ship & Yacht in Alameda, California, the vessel repair company revealed May 5.
The Potomac, known as the “floating White House,” was launched in 1934 and served as the presidential yacht until the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1945. She has a storied past from her start as a Presidential yacht to Elvis Presley’s vessel and several other lives in-between.
Now under management of the Potomac Association, her docents have said they selected Bay Ship & Yacht as her recent repair facility because the company is already very familiar with the vessel.
Repairs included above- and below-water painting, preservation and repair of the valves, checking and maintenance of all mechanical propulsion and steering systems, structural steel repairs to tanks and hatches, and tank painting.
“The Potomac is a wonderfully kept piece of machinery by a dedicated group of docents that are passionate about preserving history,” Bay Ship & Yacht Business Development Manager Richard Maguire said. “Her docents often remark about the monumental decisions that were discussed aboard all throughout her tour of duty spanning the Great Depression and World War II. Bay Ship and Yacht is extremely pleased to be part of the preservation of such a fine piece of American history.”
The 165-foot long Potomac, which has a beam of 23.72 feet, is available for tours and voyages by the public. More information is available at www.usspotomac.org.
