Yankee

Yankee (also known as Machigonne) is an early-20th-century steel hulled ferry which is registered as a historic vessel with the National Register of Historic Places. As of 2006 it was berthed in Hoboken, New Jersey. In mid-2013, the ferry was moved to the Henry Street pier in the Gowanus Bay Terminal in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Operational history Described as unusually luxurious for a day-voyaging vessel, Yankee was built in 1907 by the Philadelphian shipbuilding company Neafie & Levy for the Casco Bay and Harpswell Line. There is some confusion about her original name, with some sources listing it as Dida. It is unclear however, if the ship ever operated under that name, since she is commonly referred to as Machigonne from an early point in her career. Machigonne began her service life ferrying passengers between Portland, Maine and the Calendar Islands in Casco Bay. In 1913, she was sold to the Nahant Steamship Line of Boston, Massachusetts, and used on the Boston, Nahant and Pines Island route. Following America's entry into World War I, Machigonne was acquired by the United States Navy on 2 October 1917 under charter, and commissioned 15 May 1918 as USS Machigonne (SP-1043). During the war, the ship was armed with two one-pounder guns for defense, and used to transport men and supplies between Boston and Bumpkin Island Training Station.