USS YMS-328, Historic yacht in Newport Beach, United States
USS YMS-328 is a historic vessel now operating as a dinner cruise ship in Newport Beach, California, measuring 136 feet (41 meters) in length and 24 feet (7 meters) in beam. The ship is powered by two General Motors diesel engines rated at 880 horsepower each and offers regular evening cruises along the coast.
The vessel was built in Ballard, Washington, as a YMS-1-class minesweeper and participated in World War II operations in the Aleutian Islands until Japan surrendered. After the war ended, it was decommissioned from military service and later converted into a private yacht.
John Wayne bought the vessel in 1962 and renamed it Wild Goose, hosting well-known figures such as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan aboard. Over the years, many social gatherings took place on deck, turning the ship into a floating meeting point.
The ship departs regularly from 2431 West Coast Highway and offers evening dinner cruises that typically last two to three hours. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes, as the deck and stairs can be narrow.
The hull is built from three-inch vertical grain Douglas fir, which was a special construction method for wooden warships in the 1940s. This design gave the ship exceptional durability and resistance to rough seas.
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