The Kennedy kids' boat

The resulting boat was 12 feet long and six feet in the beam and was a design similar to that used by many well-to-do families in the Cape Cod area. It was shipped from the USA to Greece for the kids to learn on while in the Med'.

The boat, called Scallop, was constructed in the winter of 1969–1970, and exhibits the original builder's plate on which is stamped, "Old Beetle Cat, No. 1426, Concordia Co. Inc., South Dartmouth, Mass."

It has now been restored to its original colours, with a sky blue deck and a bright yellow hull. The unusually coloured original paint became evident when the boat was stripped down to bare wood and was additionally confirmed in a letter from Caroline Kennedy.

The boat returned to Hyannis Port, USA in the 1970s. Jackie later sold it to the Gallaghers, a well-respected Hyannis Port family, and the current owner purchased it from them in the early 2000s.

With its impressive documentation, including a page from the builder’s inventory; piece of correspondence from Caroline Kennedy; and a letter detailing the boat’s history directly from current owner, Peter Eastman, this is a solid piece of Kennedy family history, and especially poignant given JFK’s own love of the sea.

The boat is now up for auction at RR Auctions in the USA with minimum bids of $1000.

Let’s hope it goes to a good home and sails again.