Welcome to USS Potomac
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Historic Presidential Yacht
Built in 1934, the US Coast Guard cutter Electra was recommissioned and converted in 1936 by the US Navy to serve as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential yacht. Renamed USS Potomac, the ship served FDR until his death in April, 1945.
Learn more about Potomac’s remarkable history and how she came to be here, in San Francisco Bay.
More than half a million people have visited and cruised aboard the Potomac, a National Historic Landmark, since she was opened to the public at Jack London Square in Oakland, California, in the summer of 1995 after a 14-year, $5 million restoration. Tours and cruises are offered throughout the year. Please see our current schedule.
At 165-feet-long, the ship was used by FDR for leisure time and to host dignitaries, high government officials, diplomats, kings and queens, and family members. Today, the Potomac is dedicated to the story of FDR who, as the 32nd president of the United States, led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II. He also authored the New Deal post-war rebuilding plan which included, among many local projects, the construction of the Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay bridges.
Now you can join us aboard this captivating vessel for two- or three-hour live narrated cruises on San Francisco Bay! You can also take a dockside tour or charter the Potomac for your private event.
Watch this video that tells the fascinating, colorful history of FDR’s beloved USS Potomac:
Upcoming Cruises and Events
Check out our various events and cruise opportunities! If you have any questions, please give us a call at 510-627-1215.
Currents – The Potomac Blog
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Luncheon Cruise – June 9, 1939
USS POTOMAC MINI-HISTORY BY WALTER ABERNATHY King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Luncheon Cruise - June 9, 1939 King George VI1 was the first reigning British monarch to visit the United States. It was June 1939, when war in Europe was imminent. Three months earlier,...
FDR’s Texas Fishing Trip – May 1937
USS POTOMAC MINI-HISTORY BY WALTER ABERNATHY FDR’s Texas Fishing Trip - May 1937 After dinner on April 27, 1937, FDR left the White House to overnight on his special train en route to New Orleans and a rendezvous with his Presidential Yacht USS Potomac. The train...
Historic USS Potomac Launches a Maritime Workforce Development Project with West Oakland Job Resource Center, thanks to $430,000 in Grant Funding
New collaboration marks increased economicefforts to support the local maritime industry, in the spirit of Franklin D. Roosevelt OAKLAND, August 31, 2024 - With the help of a $430,000 combined grant from the state of California, the USS Potomac Association, which owns...