Letter to the Editor: Sally Sparks Reader’s Memories

A very interesting article about Sally (The Log Jan. 3-16 edition). I always wondered what happened to that beautiful, 10 meter, sailboat. Most of the information I have actually came from the “street” but the basics are there. In the 1950s I was the Southern California Marine Industry Representative for the Behr-Manning Company, a major manufacturer of abrasives, sandpaper and masking tapes. I knew just about everyone in the boating industry and from there became plant manager for Newport Marine Supply Company, which later became West Marine. In those days, sailboat hardware was all custom and hand built so if a sailboat owner or builder needed special hardware, we custom built it in out Costa Mesa plant. I was familiar with most of the larger sailing yachts.

For many years, Sally was a beautiful fixture in Newport Harbor and when I first became conscious of her existence, she was rumored to be owned by the big Savings & Loan mogul of Newport Savings & Loan and I believe, Home Savings & Loan. I do not recall his name at the moment. As I recall, Sally was kept at the Newport Savings facility at Lido close to Pioneer, a large schooner.

Sally was painted a beautiful soft green that came to be known as ‘Sally Green” and was marketed by one of the major paint companies under that name. I was so enamored by that color the color I painted my 22-foot Star boat that color.

Jascha Heifetz, a renowned violinist, lived in a secluded home at the north end of Newport Harbor Island. When he passed away the property somehow came into the possession of the Savings & Loan. The big mogul moved into the property and Sally, in all her grandeur, was moored there for what seemed to be many years.

Sally seemed to be well taken care of and beautifully maintained but was rarely sailed. Occasionally a crew was put together and she was sailed along with other classic yachts and was a beautiful sight.

When the big crash of the Savings & Loan industry occurred, Sally disappeared and the Harbor Island property was subdivided into four or five lots that nor have big luxury homes. Thanks for the article, Charles (Chuck) Boniols, Sea Tow Southern California Newport Beach Letter edited for clarity and brevity.

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