Sparkman & Stephens 62 ft Yawl 1937/2011

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 regatta 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.

In current ownership since 2016, MANITOU has been constantly maintained by winter as required and as detailed below:
- Rigging work from 2016 by Amazing Rigging
- Carpentry work from 2016 by Lewis Salmon

2025-2026 at PORT GINESTA, BARCELONA
- Masts unstepped; full service

2025 at PORT GINESTA, BARCELONA
- 2.4 m - 3 m of mast top rebuilt
- Sitka spruce supplied by Touchwood BV, Netherlands

2024-2025 at CANNES
- New laminated oak stem

2022-2023 at CANNES
- Masts unstepped; full service

2021-2022 at CANNES
- Rudder rebuilt in teak and bronze
- Rudder shaft shortened; refitted with Delrin bearings
- Work on stern frames in way of rudder tube including bronze work

2020 at CANNES
- New 50 L fuel tank fitted (previous was 200 L)

2018-2023 (Winters) at CANNES
- Gradual replacement oak floors aft of mast step in laminated teak
- Sole replaced

2018-2019 at CANNES
- Re-fastened deck
- New boom collar
- Planking work (scarfed not butted)

2017-2018 at CANNES
- Deck re-caulked
- Engine removed and re-built
- New stern tube fitted
- Planking work (scarfed not butted)

MAJOR REFIT 2016-2017
At CANTIERE NAVALE DELL’ARGENTARIO, PORTO SANTO STEFANO, ITALY
- Partial removal of interior
- Ballast keel dropped
- Ballast keel refastened with new bronze keelbolts and new deadwood
- Rudder blade and shaft disassembled; remounted with new packing
- New propeller shaft and new Volvo type packing
- Mast unstepped; jumpers removed; to current 2 x spreaders rig
- Some new bronze fittings for mast

2013-2015
- Most of the topside planking re fastened

REFIT AT VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER, FRANCE 2012-2013
- Below waterline re caulked and refastened
- Garboard and some other planks replaced

RESTORATION COMPLETION 2010-2011
At Solomons, MD, USA
- Stem replaced, various planking
- New plumbing, electrics, wiring
- All deck fittings refurbished where possible or renewed
- New standing rigging and winches (only primary winches kept)
- All spars stripped, re-varnished, and fittings refurbished.

RESTORATION EARLY TO MID 2000s
At Chesapeake Marine Railway, Deltaville, VA, USA
- Present teak deck laid
- Much hull planking replaced
- Interior completely rebuilt and refinished
- Great pain taken to keep her as original with butternut panelling
- Use of all the original hardware and fittings still with the boat

SPARKMAN & STEPHENS DESIGN NO. 99

Major lumber man and New York and Chicago Yacht Clubs member James Rowland Lowe of Grand Rapids, Michigan, commissioned the young 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” – MANITOU was launched in 1937 and in short order fulfilled her owner’s desire. In 1938's 31st Chicago-Mackinac she broke the elapsed time record and won handsomely on corrected time. MANITOU 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.

James Lowe was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in the summer of 1942 and survived the Second World War, but by the time passage racing recommenced post-war MANITOU’s ownership had transferred to c.30-year-old Navy veteran Kenneth Kroehler from a successful Chicago wholesale furniture manufacturing family. Kroehler’s summer house was at Northport Point and MANITOU’s mooring in Sutton’s Bay, Michigan. In Kroehler's ownership MANITOU remained a force to be reckoned with and, in 1954, again won the Chicago-Mackinac on corrected time from the line-honours winner, ESCAPADE.

In 1956 Ken Kroehler donated MANITOU 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. It was during this period that she became President John F. Kennedy’s sailing yacht of choice.

The official Presidential yacht at the time of his election was the Defoe 92 ft motor yacht BARBARA ANNE, which JFK renamed HONEY FITZ in honour of his grandfather. But the President was really a sailor at heart and MANITOU was 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. Although Coast Guard cadets continued to race MANITOU on the circuit, including the southern majors, such as the SORC and Miami-Nassau, when the President was aboard she didn’t race formally. But once, off Newport during the America’s Cup summer of 1962, JFK tried to engage his friend Emil 'Bus' Mosbacher’s Philip Rhodes-designed 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 Seafarers International Union under its then founding leader, Paul Hall. Aristotle Onassis, about to marry Jackie Kennedy in October 1968, sought to buy the yacht – apparently at any price. But Hall refused all offers, preferring to keep MANITOU for teaching less privileged young people about boats.

In 1999, MANITOU was purchased by Laura Kilbourne, granddaughter of her original owner James Lowe, bringing her back into the family. Taken to Chesapeake Marine Railway at Deltaville, Virginia - not far from where she was built - the boat started a major refit in which great pains were taken to keep her as-original, with butternut panelling and use of all the original hardware still with the boat. However, before all was complete family circumstances intervened and in late 2010 she was sold to four joint owners, and the restoration was completed in early 2011.

MANITOU was then shipped to the Mediterranean where she is a beautiful, fast, successful, and popular staple of the classic regatta circuit there.

- Barcelona: winner 2012, runner up 13, 14, 15
- Cassis: winner 2013, 14 ,15
- Ajaccio: winner 2014.
- Antibes: runner up 2013, 2014, 3rd 2015
- Argentario: winner 2015
- Naples: winner 2013, 14, 15
- Palma: runner up 2014, 2015
- Mahon: runner up 2015, 3rd 2012, 13, 14
- Imperia: winner 2014, runner up 2012
- Monaco: winner 2015
- Cannes: winner 2015
- St Tropez: runner up 2012, 2013: 3rd 2014, 2015

- Carvel mahogany hull planking bronze fastened to oak frames
- Solid teak laid deck, traditionally caulked and payed
- Varnished teak covering boards
- Solid mahogany deck beams
- Varnished teak cockpit coamings
- Mahogany superstructure elevations
- All through hulls are bronze ball valves

FROM AFT

- Bronze fairleads on taffrail
- Bronze mooring cleats each side
- Bronze Panama eyes in bulwark
- Varnished king plank
- Hutton Arco winch on aft deck
- Mizzen mast with 2 x Arco Hutton halyard winches
- Cockpit divided by bronze mainsheet 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 x Digital B&G repeater; 2 x 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 coachroof each side
- 2 x Bronze Genoa tracks on toerail; 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 62 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
- Chock mountings port side for spinnaker pole stowage
- Inner forestay
- Panama fairleads
- Bronze stem head fitting

GROUND TACKLE
- Bronze Muir electric anchor windlass
- Chain gypsy and warping drum; foot control
- Lewmar 75 lb CQR anchor on bow roller

FROM AFT
- Accommodation for up to 8 in 3 cabins
- 7 Step companionway ladder down to saloon

SALOON
- Varnished solid teak deck head and beams and cabin sole
- Varnished mahogany hull lining battens
- Rich high gloss butternut raised panel joinery
- Large single settee berths port & starboard
- 6 x drawers behind settee backs
- 2 x Single pilot berths outboard; one each side with book cases at aft ends
- Oak fiddled saloon table to original design
- seats up to 8 with bottle locker and drawers
- Butterfly hatch skylight over table
- Original solid fuel fireplace in port fwd bulkhead
- Glass fronted liquor and mini bar lockers port & starboard
- Joinery chests with 5 drawers forward each side
- Deck prisms
- Deck head light
- 2 x reading lights and dimmer controlled spotlights

FORWARD TO WC COMPARTMENT TO PORT
- Electric toilet
- Ceramic washbasin; mixer tap
- Deep locker under side deck
- Numerous drawers in bulkhead
- Locker with vanity mirror door
- Large hanging locker opposite to starboard; further locker beyond

FULL BEAM WALK-THROUGH GALLEY BY MAIN MAST
- 4 x Burner propane hob and oven to port
- 2 x Stainless steel inset sinks in custom countertop
- Mixer tap
- Built-in stainless steel microwave oven
- Secure stowage for crockery etc in racks outboard
- Lockers under worktop
- Massive USA pattern fridge, top and side loading, to starboard
- Shelving over to starboard
- Raised hatch in deckhead
- Adjustable and hidden halogen lighting

FORECABIN
- 2 x Vee berths with stowage under
- Banquette to port
- Lockers with louvred doors each side
- Anchor locker under berths forward
- Scuttle hatchway in deck head to foredeck

MOVING AFT VIA 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
- Barometer

AFT TO OWNER EN SUITE CABIN
- Butterfly hatch skylight in white painted deck head over
- 1 x Double berth with drawers under to starboard
- 1 x Single berth with drawers under to port; adjoining banquette
- Desk / dressing table with vanity mirror on centreline
- Concealed access to engine below
- Numerous drawers in joinery
- Pistol locker
- Bathtub in cabin sole as original
- 4 x opening ports
- 2 x Bulkhead lights
- 2 x Reading lights
- Access to lazarette and engine space in aft bulkhead

EN SUITE WC COMPARTMENT
- Toilet
- Ceramic washbasin with mixer tap
- Numerous drawers in joinery
- Locker with vanity mirror door
- 3 x Bulkhead lights

RIG
- All spars Sitka spruce
- Original main mast with two sets of spreaders
- Single spreader Pasqui built mizzen mast (2014)
- Both booms original
- Spinnaker pole by Collars (2014)
- Standing rigging new 2011; regularly inspected
- See Deck Layout, Equipment etc section for halyard winch details

SAILS
- Mainsail Ratsey & Lapthorn (2025)
- Genoa No. 1 Ratsey & Lapthorn (2025)
- Light Genoa 1.5 oz 170% North Sails (2014)
- Mizzen Ratsey & Lapthorn (2025)
- A2 Asymmetric Ratsey & Lapthorn (2025)
- Mizzen Staysail Ratsey & Lapthorn (2025)

CANVASWORK
- TBC

MECHANICAL
- Yanmar 115 HP Diesel engine
- Direct drive 1¼ in bronze shaft
- Stuffing box seal on shaft
- Max Prop 3-bladed propeller

ELECTRICAL
- Engine alternator
- 12 V DC circuit
- 2 x Lithium ion 320 Ah 12 V batteries (2025)
- All lights LED
- Mastervolt system

TANKAGE
- 1 x 13 US Gal / 50 L fuel tank
- 2 x 74 US Gal / 280 L fresh water tanks
- 1 x 5 Gallon / 20 L water heater
- Grey water tank
- Black water tank

- Original Kelvin White steering compass on Herreshoff pedestal
- B&G Processor (2025)
- B&G H3000 system
- Zeus 12 plotter at nav station
- Zeus 8 plotter in cockpit
- B&G Wind
- B&G Auto pilot
- Garmin AIS
- Garmin VHF radio
- Removable port, starboard and aft running lights
- Steaming light on mast broken and not functioning
- Tricolour light at masthead

- Winslow 8-person offshore life raft (2011)
- 2 x EPIRBs
- 14 x inflatable life jackets (2011)
- 2 x Rule 3700 GPH 12 V electric bilge pumps with floats
- 1 x 120 V sump installed emergency pump switched on at panel
- Fireboy FE-241 auto fire extinguisher
- Shaped iron emergency tiller stored in the lazarette