Former President George H.W. Bush evidently had a need for speed on the waters of Maine, where he maintained a nearly 1,000-horsepower speedboat. Now, for the right price, others can share in its exhilaration.
The vessel is slated to be auctioned off on Thursday as part of the 2024 Presidential Salute auction in Houston, according to Hutton Higgins, spokesperson for the George & Barbara Bush Foundation.
Proceeds from the sale of the 38-foot (11.5-meter) speedboat, known as “Fidelity V,” will be directed towards expanding offerings at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum and The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
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Bush acquired the Fountain 38CC, a 2011 model, after both he and his son, former President George W. Bush, had completed their terms in office.
Adorned with a presidential seal and powered by three Mercury outboard engines capable of propelling the vessel to 75 mph (120 kph), the boat was a fixture in the North Atlantic waters near Kennebunkport, the location of the Texas family's summer retreat on the Maine coast.
This particular vessel marks the fifth in a series of speedboats owned by George H.W. Bush to bear the name Fidelity. The first is exhibited at the Bush library and museum, while the fourth remains in use in Kennebunkport, as per Higgins.
