Journey of the yacht Vagabundo

John Blaich

The yacht Vagabundo was built on the shores of Newport Harbor. She

was launched into the waters of Balboa Bay on June 15, 1936, and

“floated” (was home-ported) upon the waters of Newport Harbor until

1972. Spending 36 years at Newport Harbor with only two proud owners

is quite a record.

The ketch-rigged motor sailor Vagabundo was designed by Fred

Brewer and built by the Walton Hubbard Company, which later became

the South Coast Ship Yard. Louis Cass, the owner, had made a model of

what he wanted in a motor sailor when Brewer was called in. Three

half-models and several changes in plans resulted in the final

design. Vagabundo is 59 feet long. She has a beam of 15 feet, 6

inches and a draft of 7 feet, 4 inches. Ketch rigged, she is powered

with a four-cylinder Atlas Diesel engine, which can drive her at 10

1/4 knots. Vagabundo performs well under sail she can tack and jibe

in light air without the help of the engine.

Vagabundo, which means vagabond in Spanish, was docked in front of

the Louis Cass home at 2018 E. Bay Ave. on the Balboa Peninsula. The

motorized tender carried on board was called the “Vag.” Cass, a

member of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, made many trips to Mexican

waters for big game fishing. Vagabundo was always maintained in a

ship-shape condition by full-time skipper Nels Carlson.

Vagabundo was fitted with solid Fir wooden masts. However, in

1937, a problem developed with her main mast. Termite droppings

appeared. So replacement masts were fabricated at South Coast Ship

Yard using vertical grain light-weight Spruce. This lowered the

center of gravity and greatly improved the “rolling” characteristic

of Vagabundo when at sea.

In the spring of 1942, when our Naval Intelligence knew that the

Japanese naval fleet had left Japanese waters and was on the high

seas -- destination unknown, Vagabundo and other yachts were hastily

called into service to augment the offshore sailboat patrol. She

proceeded with Carlson and Cass on board to a point 100 miles off the

coast to silently sail in a designated area. This emergency military

service lasted for about five weeks until the intentions of the

Japanese fleet were determined. Subsequently Vagabundo was taken over

by the Coast Guard. She was awarded seven Chevrons one for each six

months of service with the Coast Guard.

In 1970 H.L. “Buck” Ayres of Lido Ship Yard acquired Vagabundo

from the Louis Cass estate. A complete renovation and modernization

program was performed on the yacht. This included new galley

equipment and the latest electronic equipment. Vagabundo was placed

in a ship-shape mint condition. As a result during the 1969 opening

day yacht inspection at Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Vagabundo won

first place for power boats more than 40 feet.