Yankee ( ferry ) Yankee ( also known as Machigonne ) is an early - 20th century steel hulled ferry which is registered as an 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 U . S . 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 . After the end of hostilities , USS " Machigonne " was decommissioned and resumed commercial service . In 1921 , the ship was purchased by John E . Moore and transferred to New York Harbor . For the next eight years , " Machigonne " was used to ferry newly arriving immigrants from their incoming ships to Ellis Island , and thenceforth to the mainland . These immigrants , many of whom were kept below decks on their transatlantic voyage , are said to have obtained their first views of New York City from the decks of " Machigonne " . In this period , the ship was also used to ferry tourists to the Statue of Liberty . In 1929 , the ship was sold to a Captain Daniel F . McAllister , and renamed Hook Mountain . For the next ten years she operated as a tour boat , carrying passengers from Battery Park to Bedloe ' s Island and Governors Island . " Hook Mountain " was sold to a Rhode Island company in 1939 , and renamed Block Island . She also operated under the name League Island when requisitioned for World War II service . In 1947 , the vessel had her original steam propulsion replaced with a 900 Hp GM diesel from a LST , was renamed Yankee and used to transport vacationers from Providence to Block Island , a task that apparently continued for several decades . The vessel was finally retired from commercial service after the 1983 summer season which included a charter to the America ' s Cup Races off of Newport , RI . It was then laid up in Montville , CT for several years . It was later towed to Providence , RI and docked very close to where she used to depart from for Block Island service and was neglected and became a target for vandals . Restoration . In 1990 , the by - now dilapidated " Yankee " was bought by a private citizen , Jim Gallagher , who towed it to Pier 25 , Tribeca , Manhattan , where he began working on its restoration . In an unusual arrangement , Gallagher was permitted by the local authorities to live on the boat in order to continue with his work . To help pay for the job , Gallagher rented the boat out to weddings and parties . The vessel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 . In 2003 , Gallagher sold the boat to new owners who pledged to continue with the restoration work . In 2006 the boat was moved to Hoboken , New Jersey while the local council carried out an upgrade to Pier 25 . Although operational , the boat is apparently not used for actual voyages since it lacks a seaworthiness certificate . " Yankee " is one of several vessels built by Neafie & Levy to be either still operational or operating until very recently . Another Neafie & Levy vessel that is still operational is the tugboat " Jupiter " . A third vessel , the tugboat " Tuff - E - Nuff " ( originally the " Thomas Cunningham Sr . " ) , built in 1895 , was remarkably still in commercial service in its original role as of May 2007 . Center