plan Boat

More About Santana Design 59

A blog reader asked us about design #59, the schooner Santana: "When was the rig changed to a staysail schooner?"

Heres a brief chronology:

Santana in fact began her life as a staysail schooner, launched in 1935 by the Wilmington Boat Works. In 1942 she was converted to a yawl rig (as seen above) but her main mast was not increased in height and as a result she was sorely under-canvassed. She was configured as a yawl during the time her most famous owner, Humphrey Bogart, owned her.

After numerous owners (I count 11), she was on the market for the 12th time when sadly, in 1977 she sank at the dock in San Fransisco. She was purchased by Paul Kaplan, owner of a San Fransisco Bay boatyard, and underwent a complete refit. It was at this time she was converted back into a staysail schooner, after 35 years as a yawl. Kaplan still owns the boat and she is in perfect condition.

Interestingly the old mizzen mast now serves as a flagpole at Kaplans home. Here it is.