A boat's in a name, at Irvine Terrace

Courtesy of John Blaich Daily Pilot

When the subdivision Irvine Terrace was created at Corona Del Mar, the developers decided to name the new streets after famous yachts based at Newport Harbor.

We have prepared the following list of street names with the names and and descriptions of the yachts and their owners. Thus, the present residents of Irvine Terrace can learn whether they are living on a 'Sailboat' or a 'Power Boat' street.

Street Owner

Altura Drive - 48-foot Schooner North Baker

Angelita Drive - 50-foot Sloop John Earle Wells

Bayadere Terrace - 51-foot Yawl James. H. Nicholsen

Bonnie Doone Terrace - 66-foot Schooner Dr. Irving E. Laby

Chubasco Drive - 67-foot Yawl Don Haskel

Dolphin Terrace - 81-foot Cruiser Arthur Letts, Jr.

Evita Drive - 43-foot Ketch L. Courter

Galatea Terrace - 68-foot Yawl Jascha Heifetz

K-Thanga Drive - 92-foot Cruiser Donald K. Washburn

Kewamee Drive - 63-foot Steel Ketch William W. Valentine

Malabar Drive - 41-foot Schooner A.G. Maddock

Marapata Drive - 98-foot Schooner Col. Max Wyman

Patolita Drive - 81-foot Cutter Charles D. Winan

Ramona Drive - 109-foot Steel Schooner Margaret Fleming

Sabrina Terrace - 58-foot Yawl William R. Cabeen

Santana Drive - 55-foot Yawl Humphrey Bogart

Santanella Terrace - (not available)

Sea Drift Drive - 84-foot Steel Schooner Lyman H. Farwell

Serenade Terrace - 62-foot Cutter Jascha Heifetz

Tahuna Terrace - 48-foot Ketch H.J. Bryan

Zahma Drive - 94-foot Ketch A.H. Andrews

GALATEA

This traditional yawl was based 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 also kept in the mooring area off the Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Heifetz was a member of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club and the Catalina Island Yacht Club at Avalon.

Galatea was designed by A. Nyrgen and built in Stockholm, Sweden in 1899. Her dimensions are 68 feet overall, 44 feet length on the waterline, 12 feet, 5 inches in beam with a draft of 9 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. He frequently sailed to Avalon, Catalina. There was a very large insurance policy on his fingers that did not allow him to pull on lines of make them fast. However, he frequently and enthusiastically helped with the rigging in a limited way.

In 1955, when Irvine Terrace in Corona Del Mar was subdivided, one of the streets was named after Heifetz's yacht. In 1998, an oil painting of Galatea was presented to the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum and is shown periodically. The oil painting was created by muralist Richard W. DeRosset of San Diego. He is a very versatile marine artist and has done many commissions for private collectors, museums, and commercial clients. DeRosset has done three revious paintings of famous yachts for the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.

EDITOR'S NOTE: John Blaich is a Corona del Mar resident who, about once a month, will write histories of interesting boats that graced Newport Harbor.