Later, renamed the original name of Hauoli, it was assigned to Thomas A. Edison conducting underwater listening experiments related to antisubmarine warfare.

There were two yachts named Hauoli designed by Henry J. Gielow and built a year apart by Robins Dry Dock & Repair Company, Brooklyn, New York, for F. M. Smith.

The registration's official number and call signal remains with the vessel through name and ownership changes.

[1] That first yacht was launched 30 May 1902 at John N. Robbins' shipyard, Erie Basin, Brooklyn, New York with Miss Lulu Pfizer christening the vessel.

[2][3] This vessel is shown in Lloyd's Register of American Yachts for 1905 – 6 as being owned by John N. Robins, the builder, and renamed Seminole.

The second Hauoli, registered with official number 96694 and signal letters KSNM, was also designed by Henry J. Gielow and built for Smith by the Robins Dry Dock & Repair Company in 1903.

[6] The hull had four watertight bulkheads and double bottom suitable for ballast or fresh water storage.

The forward deck house was 58 ft 6 in (17.8 m) in length lying between the foremast and machinery space indicated by the stack and ventilators.

The social room was 22 ft 6 in (6.9 m) with a piano, desk, seating and a stairway to the passageway on the deck below.

[10] The estate was originally on Clark Cove but after Smith acquired more land, built a seawall and put in a landing dock and a loading dock for coaling for his yachts, Hauoli and Effort II, it became known as Smith Cove.

Kanawah was being prepared by modifications to boilers and engine room with Hauoli, under the supervision of her designer, undergoing alterations.

[8][10] The results were an average speed of 19.90 knots (22.90 mph; 36.85 km/h) for the twin screw Kanawah, burning twenty tons of picked coal, and 19.53 knots (22.47 mph; 36.17 km/h) for the single screw Hauoli, burning fifteen tons of coal.

[14] The yacht left the fitting out yard on 28 July 1914 for New York, then from there on 1 August for California by the Panama Canal.

[16] California was purchased by the Navy for $65,000 in August 1917 from her owner, Clara Baldwin Stocker, of Los Angeles.

[7][17][18][note 1] After fitting out the vessel commissioned as USS California at New York Navy Yard 24 December 1917, Lt.

[18] The yacht was transferred to special duty 28 January 1919, and assigned to the experimental use of Thomas A. Edison for ASW (antisubmarine warfare) studies.

[18] Before demobilization cut short the experiments with Hauoli, it was withdrawn from that service and decommissioned 8 October 1919, and later sold to Denton Shore Lumber Co., Tampa, Florida, 7 September 1920.