123 DATURA BAR & KITCHEN
123 DATURA ST | 561-814-5433
Brick-lined venue serving cocktails, appetizers, pizzas & salads in casual digs.
CAMELOT
114 S NARCISSUS AVE | 561-408-1001
Semi-private, Kennedy-inspired upscale bar, lounge, club and restaurant.
CLEMATIS SOCIAL
219 CLEMATIS ST | 561-833-6500
Funky nightclub with DJ & a retro vibe, plus a cocktail lounge in a psychedelic bus.
E.R. BRADLEY’S SALOON
104 CLEMATIS ST | 561-833-3520
Beautiful views and American fare on the Intracoastal Waterway.
HULLABALOO
517 CLEMATIS ST | 561-833-1033
Talk of the town gastronomy with a large selection of craft beer, cocktails and wine.
LEILA
120 S. DIXIE HWY | 561-659-7373
Middle Eastern cuisine in a casual contemporary atmosphere. Belly dancers are featured on select evenings.
Presidential yacht rises again
By Jim Bronstien
Charles Modica is a class act. Not only is he a very successful businessman, but most importantly, he is a passionate classic yacht restoration hobbyist. Modica is well known by many as the founder and chairman of St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada.
Modica is also the developer of many real estate projects. His most recognized project locally is the creation of Love Street, a one-of-a-kind retail and dining destination catering to locals and tourists alike. Located in Jupiter, Florida, Love Street was created together with his longtime friend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath.
At a special lunch Thursday with 300 invited guests, Modica shared his passions as a boater. Starting as many
do with a 13-foot Whaler as a young boy, the boat bug was in his veins. From there he followed a passion to restore numerous classic yachts, large and small. He simply enjoys the ability to transform a neglected boat with good bones back to its original state.
When the opportunity surfaced in 2020 to restore the most famous classic yacht of all, the former presidential yacht Honey Fitz, Modica was all in.
Built in 1931 by the Defoe Boat & Motor Works in Bay City, Michigan, for Montgomery Ward tycoon Sewell Avery and christened Lenore, the 93foot wooden boat was bought by the U.S. government to serve as a patrol boat during WWII. It later served as the official presidential yacht under
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
SHOW HOURS: Thurs. 12pm–7pm; Fri & Sat 10am–7pm; Sun 10am–5pm Wednesday, May 17 Superyacht Village Pier 66 South Reserve your spot now! Expo@TritonNews.com DRINK & DINE A SHORT STROLL AWAY
SATURDAY
ONE SCHOOL. UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES.
Two-thirds of the Earth is covered in water...maybe it’s time you took command of your future with a marine career. Whether you dream of overlooking the world from your window office as a Captain or Engineer, Deckhand or Cabin Steward(ess), consider MPT your passport to a world of job opportunities and the training they require. As the most complete full-service, private maritime school in the country, our success-driven instructors, equipment and programs have helped thousands of aspiring yacht and merchant crew launch rewarding careers. 954.525.1014 | 1915
mptusa.com Sea the World Get your future in shipshape, ENROLL AT MPT NOW! Call Toll-Free:
or Visit MPTusa.com
South Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 |
1.888.839.5025
five different presidents: Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon.
Although the name of the yacht was changed four times, it was JFK who chose the one that stuck: Honey Fitz In 1971, the yacht was sold by the U.S. government to a private owner. Since then, it fell into various stages of repair and disrepair until Modica learned of its availability in 2020.
Modica assembled his “A” team for the ultimate restoration: recreating the yacht’s glory days of the Kennedy era. Veteran boat expert Capt. Greg Albritton led the team as project manager, along with Brad
London, a longtime Rybovich hullbuilding and wooden boat expert, and his company, Total Refit. The entire team spent nearly three years bringing Honey Fitz back to life — and back to its original look.
During its down years, the yacht’s 23-foot aft deck was enclosed, but during the restoration project, it was decided that the yacht needed to be as it was intended, so the enclosure was removed. Oddly enough, one necessary update was required: Raising the deck 3 inches. “Turns out that people are taller today than they were back in 1931, when she was built,” Modica mused.
Scheduled to reside in Jupiter, Florida, Honey Fitz will be elegantly kept. The yacht will be used for limited fundraising events and limited charters, but in no way will it be over-commercialized or neglected again. At least, not under Charles Modica’s watch.
As always, there are many large shiny yachts at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, but sitting brilliantly at the north end of the show is this year’s undisputed Queen: M/Y Honey Fitz, a presidential masterpiece that represents a major piece of American history.
Page 3 Triton Today is published by Triton News Network, LLC, the parent company of Triton: News & Networking for Captains and Crew Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.
FROM PAGE 1
M/Y Honey Fitz restored to its glory days in the ‘Camelot’ era of John F. Kennedy
CONTINUED
Photo by Brad London
DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS! ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
It’s Day 3 of the Palm Beach International Boat Show, but crew have been hard at work all week to make sure their yachts are picture perfect. Here are some pre-show shots from the docks.
Photos by Dorie Cox and Kevin Maher
Page 4
Page 5
2009 BURGER 151’ 3” NADAN The Bahamas $22,500,000
2014 SANLORENZO 106’ BODACIOUS Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States $5,995,000
2017 SANLORENZO 106’ 106 FLYBRIDGE Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States $7,499,000
2023 SUNSEEKER 95’ 95 YACHT Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States Price on Application
