Sail Into History Aboard the Iconic Honey Fitz

Reliving the days of JFK on the Honey Fitz, newly restored to its former grandeur and now offering private charters

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Captain Greg Albritton, Joe Namath, first mate Kate Kiefer, Charlie Modica, Michael Lessing. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
Captain Greg Albritton, Joe Namath, first mate Kate Kiefer, Charlie Modica, Michael Lessing. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

“I’m a bit of a nutty yacht owner,” proclaims Charlie Modica. Over the years, the lauded developer behind Jupiter’s Charlie & Joe’s at Love Street (with partner Joe Namath) has owned everything from modern performance cruisers to classic boats like the Bystander, a vintage 42-foot vessel that functioned as a towboat in the America’s Cup for 40 years. So, when Modica had the opportunity to purchase and restore the venerable Honey Fitz, he didn’t hesitate.

The Honey Fitz docked at the Pelican Club in Jupiter. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
The Honey Fitz docked at the Pelican Club in Jupiter. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

For those who don’t know, the Honey Fitz is a decommissioned presidential yacht with a storied history, having sailed under five U.S. presidents, including John F. Kennedy (who christened it with its present name, the nickname of his grandfather John Francis Fitzgerald). Originally built in 1931 by Defoe Boat & Motor Works for Montgomery Ward tycoon Sewell Avery, the 93-foot vessel has undergone several modifications over the years, including a new hull purchased by the late oil tycoon William Kallop, who owned the boat prior to Modica.

Modica credits Stephen and Michael Lessing of Lessing’s Hospitality Group for initially bringing the iconic cruiser to his attention. “I had just leased them the Pelican Club when they informed me that Kallop was looking for a place to dock his boat,” he recalls. Modica ended up purchasing the yacht from Kallop’s two sons in 2020 after Kallop passed away.

The yacht’s beautiful wood-encased helm. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
The yacht’s beautiful wood-encased helm. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

With the sale came a knowledgeable crew, including Captain Greg Albritton and first mate Kate Kiefer, with whom Modica collaborated closely to return the yacht to the original design splendor of its presidential heyday under JFK.

“Bill [Kallop] hadn’t been interested in doing that much work to the boat,” recalls Albritton, who has captained the Honey Fitz for 11 years. “It wasn’t until Mr. Modica bought it that we all agreed it needed to be brought back to how it was in the early 1960s.”

Lessing, Modica, Albritton, and Namath have a few laughs on board the Honey Fitz. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
Lessing, Modica, Albritton, and Namath have a few laughs on board the Honey Fitz. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

To help restore the vessel, Modica hired a team of experts. He brought on marine carpenter Brad London of Riviera Beach–based Total Refit to rebuild the decks, beams, sub-floor, and superstructure (everything above the main deck). To handle the interiors, he turned to design veteran Jack Fhillips, who has a degree in historic preservation and decades of experience designing superyachts like the Lady Kathryn III, a 148-foot motorboat owned by Palm Beachers Leo and Kathryn Vecellio.

Rewinding the Honey Fitz to the Camelot days while keeping it up to the current U.S. Coast Guard standards was a tough challenge that would take nearly four years to complete. In February 2020, the boat was transported to Cracker Boy Boat Works in Riviera Beach, where it was meticulously examined for nine months to determine what would go, remain, or be replaced. New electrical was added and repowered with two motors and generators, as well as a Seakeeper to eliminate boat roll.

Sofas in the stateroom were reimagined using old sketches made by former First Lady Jackie Kennedy (Onassis). Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
Sofas in the stateroom were reimagined using old sketches made by former First Lady Jackie Kennedy (Onassis). Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

London’s job was to ameliorate years of use that had taken their toll on the Honey Fitz, compounded by the deteriorating effects of water intrusion. “Each level had to be replicated,” London says. Working backward from the bow, London and his team added structural elements such as custom framing and planking, beams, and bulkheads before finishing with crown moldings and decorative trim.

Memorabilia on the yacht includes personal photos of JFK and his family. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
Memorabilia on the yacht includes personal photos of JFK and his family. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

One of his favorite challenges was duplicating the boat’s trademark straight-grain Honduran mahogany. After an exhaustive search, London and Albritton traced the wood to a site in Ohio, where they purchased two uncut mahogany trees and milled them into cabinetry, interior and exterior panels, and a transom.

To help Fhillips research the vessel’s original decor details, first mate Kiefer spent countless hours sifting through footage and hundreds of photos from Boston’s John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and The National Archives in Washington, D.C., which showed the interiors and exteriors at every possible angle. She created a pictorial catalog, sorted chronologically and by room, that the team used as a reference throughout the life of the project.

A replica of the PT-109, a torpedo boat captained by JFK when he was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
A replica of the PT-109, a torpedo boat captained by JFK when he was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

“When we were taking apart walls and doing investigative work, we found a door panel from the Kennedy Administration that I identified from the research photos,” Kiefer recalls. “A lot of the boat had been encased with new things over it, so we were stripping away those layers.” The team also discovered part of the original deck tucked beneath carpeting, as well as a vent tracing to the upper deck, which was corroborated by one of the old Kennedy photographs.

The main deck of the Honey Fitz. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
The main deck of the Honey Fitz. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

Fhillips created nostalgic living spaces so faithful to the Kennedy aesthetic that Jack and Jackie themselves would probably do a double take if they were here to see it. “Our goal always was to recreate what we could from the photos and memorabilia and keep today’s standards in mind,” says Fhillips, who adds that it’s not completely exact but sure comes close. Two details worth noting: he commissioned local marine furniture upholsterer Canvas Designers to duplicate the captain’s chair near the stern where Kennedy was famously pictured sitting, as well as the sofas in the stateroom that London reimagined using sketches Jackie had drawn on White House letterhead.

The Honey Fitz presidential seal. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak
The Honey Fitz presidential seal. Photo by Benjamin Rusnak

When the project was finally completed, Modica decided to take his new yacht to Cape Cod to get some very important thoughts on the makeover—from the Kennedy family. “I had updated Kathleen Kennedy [Bobby Kennedy’s eldest daughter] about the restoration and promised to bring the boat to Hyannis on July 4, when the family traditionally hosts a gathering at their compound,” says Modica. “Presenting the boat to them meant a lot to me. They were very impressed, and there were no criticisms. I even received handwritten letters from some who remembered being on the boat during Kennedy’s presidency and expressed gratitude for restoring this piece of history.”

That’s as close to a presidential seal of approval as you can get.

Sail Into History

The Honey Fitz is comfortably settled in at its new home behind the Pelican Club in Jupiter, where passersby on land and water can admire its majesty. If you’re interested in getting a closer look and reliving the magic of the Kennedy days, you can book a private charter aboard the historic yacht. Charter packages (starting at $20,000) include a three-hour sail along the tranquil Intracoastal Waterway for up to 35 people and can also be reserved
for occasions like weddings and corporate retreats. Drink in a melting sunset while indulging in passed hors d’oeuvres, a food station, and a top-shelf open bar (additional $5,000 for food and beverage package). A captain, first mate, and four service staff members are included.

 

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