USS Winchester (SP-156) was an armed yacht that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919. Prior to and following World War I, Winchester was a private yacht, later renamed Renard. In World War II, Renard was requisitioned for use in the Royal Canadian Navy as a patrol vessel, keeping her name. She was returned to her owners in 1944. Description Winchester had a tonnage of . The yacht was long with a beam of and a draft of . The ship was propelled by two geared Parsons steam turbines driving two shafts powered by two watertube boilers creating . This gave the ship a maximum speed of . Construction and career SS Winchester was built as a fast, steel-hulled, steam-powered, destroyer-like civilian yacht in 1916 by Bath Iron Works at Bath, Maine. The ship was ordered for construction by the millionaire Peter W. Rouss. The yacht was launched on 29 April 1916. Winchester was considered a "floating palace" during her career in the 1920s. The U.S. Navy acquired the yacht from her owner on 30 May 1917 for use as a patrol vessel during World War I. United States Navy service, 1917–1919 After her acquisition, the yacht was commissioned on 4 September 1917 as USS Winchester (SP-156). Winchester initially was assigned to section patrol duty in the 2d Naval District in southern New England, patrolling the coast between Chatham, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut. In January 1918, the vessel was reassigned to the 5th Naval District and operated in the Norfolk-Hampton Roads area of Virginia, where she was assigned to special duty with the U.S. Navy Bureau of Construction and Repair to test minesweeping equipment. Late in December 1918, Winchester deployed to City Island in the Bronx, New York, where she continued her minesweeping testing duties. On 13 April 1919, she returned to the 5th Naval District, operating out of Yorktown, Virginia, continuing to test minesweeping gear. Winchester was decommissioned at Norfolk on 19 December 1919. After several attempts, she was finally sold to Cox and Stevens of New York City on 24 March 1921. Civilian career, 1921–1940 Winchester resumed civilian service as a yacht with Cox and Stevens. The ship was sold several times, first to Vincent Astor who rebuilt the yacht in 1930. The vessel was finished with teak, ivory and walnut. The owner's quarters, located aft, comprised a lounge, two