Presidential Yacht to Return

The one-time presidential yacht Sequoia, after eight unceremonious years in private hands, including a stint as a dockside cocktail lounge, is returning to service at the call of Presidents.

The yacht, which for 44 years served eight Presidents from Herbert Hoover to Gerald R. Ford, was sold in 1977 by then-President Jimmy Carter. He considered it an unnecessary luxury. John Norris Maguire, chairman of the Presidential Yacht Trust, said today that the 60-year-old Sequoia will be donated back to the U.S. Navy by July 4, 1986. A private fund will be established to pay for operation and maintenance, he said.