Yachts of yesteryear

John Blaich

This famous yawl started out as a staysail schooner. She was

designed by Olin Stephens Jr. and built by Wilmington Boat Works in 1935

for William L. Stewart Jr., a member of the Los Angeles Yacht Club.

During the war, the Santana was acquired by Dick Powell, the movie

actor, who moored her off his Bayshore home. At that time, all sailing

was confined to the bay. Humphrey Bogart was sailing his Albatross-class

sloop, Slug Nutty, in the bay and sailed with Santana many times. Bogie

fell in love with this beautiful yawl.

In the fall of 1944, he persuaded Powell to sell Santana to him for

$50,000. This began Bogie’s love affair with Santana, which lasted until

his death in 1957. Bogart, a member of Newport Harbor Yacht Club, kept

Santana on a mooring off the clubhouse until 1950.In 1956, Bogie was

diagnosed with cancer. In September, five months before his death, he

took one last sail in Santana.

In 1999, Santana was reportedly in the San Francisco Bay area and was

being restored to her original condition as a staysail schooner.