Yachts of yesteryear

This traditional yawl was homeported in Newport Harbor from 1935 to

1938. She was owned by the famous violinist Jascha Heifetz, who moored

the yacht fore and aft off his leased home near the harbor entrance at

212 E. Balboa Blvd. Galatea was designed by A. Nyrgen and built in

Stockton, Sweden in 1899. Her dimensions are 68 feet overall, 44-foot

length on the waterline, 12-foot-5-inch in beam, with a draft of nine

feet.

She was steered with a long beautifully carved tiller. There was also

extensive wood carving on the teak bulkheads below.

Heifetz enjoyed the rhythm and quiet of sailing. However, there was a

very large insurance policy on his fingers which did not allow him to

pull on lines or make them fast. But, he enthusiastically helped with the

rigging in a limited way.

--John Blaich, Corona del Mar resident, yacht historian and active

sailor