Unraveling Bogart's Nautical Side: Naming His Boat

Humphrey Bogart, the legendary actor known for his iconic performances in films such as The African Queen and To Have and Have Not, had a deep-rooted love for the sea. This passion was reflected in his ownership of multiple boats throughout his life, including the famous 'African Queen' and his beloved 'Santana'. Bogart's appreciation for sailing began at a young age when he learned to sail on his father's sloop on Lake Canandaigua. His sailing prowess led him to actively campaign and race his boats, with Santana, a 55-foot yacht, being his most prized possession. Bogart's boats not only served as a hobby but also provided stability to his life and career, as he recognised that being at sea was a way to stay grounded amidst the glamour of Hollywood.

The African Queen was Humphrey Bogart's boat

In the early 1950s, the director of the movie, John Huston, discovered the boat and temporarily pulled it from service to use in the film. The African Queen played a similar role in the movie, shuttling cargo, missionaries, and hunters on the Ruki River. The film also starred Katharine Hepburn and told the story of a Canadian steamboat captain and a British missionary working in German East Africa during World War I.

The African Queen brought Bogart his only Oscar, winning him the 1951 Academy Award for Best Actor. The boat has since become a popular tourist attraction, with fans of the movie flocking to Key Largo, Florida, where the boat is located, to take cruises and relive the magic of the silver screen.

While Bogart did not own the African Queen, he was a passionate sailor and boat enthusiast. He owned a 55-foot sailing yacht called the Santana, which he loved dearly. Bogart's widow, Lauren Bacall, famously said that the only thing she ever had to be jealous of was not a woman, but the Santana. Bogart's love for the sea and sailing was often reflected in his iconic performances, with boats featuring prominently in several of his films, including "To Have and Have Not", "The African Queen", and "Key Largo".

The African Queen was also the name of the 1951 movie starring Bogart

The African Queen was the name of the boat in the 1951 movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. The film, an adaptation of the 1935 novel of the same name by C.S. Forester, follows a gin-swilling Canadian riverboat captain, Charlie Allnut, and a strait-laced English missionary, Rose Sayer, in German East Africa during World War I. Despite their differences, the pair work together to escape the Germans and plan an attack on a German warship.

The African Queen boat itself has a long and colourful history. Built in 1912 in England, the vessel originally served as a cargo boat in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the name Livingstone. In the early 1950s, director John Huston discovered the boat and temporarily pulled it from service to use in his film. After its Hollywood debut, the African Queen changed hands several times before falling into disrepair. In 2012, it was rescued and meticulously restored by a Florida couple, who now offer cruises to fans wishing to relive the magic of the classic movie.

The African Queen movie is notable for being Humphrey Bogart's only Oscar-winning performance. The challenging filming conditions in Africa reportedly took a toll on the cast and crew, with most members falling ill. Bogart later claimed that he and director John Huston avoided sickness by drinking whiskey instead of the local water. The chemistry between Bogart and Hepburn was undeniable, and their witty on-screen banter was largely improvised.

The African Queen boat continues to attract fans to Key Largo, where it is now a registered national historic site. Visitors can take 90-minute cruises along the canals, re-enacting famous scenes and indulging in movie trivia. The boat has been carefully restored to appear as it did in the film, ensuring that the magic of the African Queen lives on for future generations.

The Santana was another boat owned by Bogart

Humphrey Bogart, the legendary actor, had a lifelong love of the sea. He was a member of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club and later the Los Angeles Yacht Club, and owned several boats throughout his life. One of these was the Santana, a 55-foot sailing yacht. Bogart purchased the Santana from fellow actor Dick Powell in 1944 for $50,000. He was an avid sailor and racer, and actively campaigned the Santana in local and offshore races, winning the Around San Clemente Island Race three years in a row.

The Santana was originally built in 1935 for William L. Stewart, Jr., a member of the Los Angeles Yacht Club. It started life as a staysail schooner, designed by Olin Stephens, Jr., and built by Wilmington Boat Works. Stewart used the boat to compete in offshore races out of Los Angeles Harbour, but in 1937 he had the Santana re-rigged as a yawl to make her more competitive. In 1939, he had a new yawl built and sold the Santana to Dick Powell, who kept her moored off his Bayshore home during World War II.

Bogart fell in love with the beautiful yawl and sailed her many times before finally persuading Powell to sell her to him. He kept the Santana on a mooring off the Newport Harbour Yacht Club clubhouse until 1950, when he moved her to Los Angeles Harbour due to increased wind and more competitive racing conditions. Bogart was a good sailor, having learned to sail at the age of 14 on his father's sloop on Lake Canandaigua in upstate New York. He understood the importance of keeping his boat in top condition and employed a full-time professional skipper, Carl Peterson, to look after the Santana.

The Santana was more than just a boat to Bogart; she was a passion that even his wife, Lauren Bacall, acknowledged. In her autobiography, "By Myself," Bacall wrote, "If ever I had a woman to be jealous of, she was the Santana." Bogart used the Santana most weekends and holidays for ten years until his death in 1957, sailing primarily around Catalina, off the California coast. Ingrid Bergman, Richard Burton, and David Niven were frequent guests aboard the Santana, and Bogart even offered the use of the boat to the Coast Guard Reserve, of which he was a member.

The Santana has since been restored to her original schooner rig by a group of sailors from the US West Coast, who plan to have her sailing again soon.

Bogart's widow, Lauren Bacall, wrote about his love of boats

Humphrey Bogart's widow, Lauren Bacall, wrote about her husband's love of boats. In her autobiography, "By Myself", Bacall wrote that the only thing her husband ever gave her to be jealous of was not a woman, but a boat—his yacht, "The Santana".

"The Santana" was a 16.7-metre yawl that Bogart used most weekends and holidays for 10 years until his death in 1957. He sailed around Catalina, off the California coast, and frequently raced, winning the San Clemente Island Race in 1950. Bogart was an experienced sailor, having learned to sail on his father's sloop on Lake Canadaigua in upstate New York when he was 14 years old.

Bacall wrote that her husband was "in love" with "The Santana" and that it had given him "everything he'd ever dreamed of". Bogart's passion for boats extended to his professional life as well. He starred in the 1951 film "The African Queen", which featured a steamboat of the same name.

The African Queen was restored by a Florida couple

The African Queen, a 100-year-old steamboat that starred in the 1951 movie of the same name alongside Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, has been restored by a Florida couple, Suzanne and Lance Holmquist. The boat was built in 1912 in the United Kingdom and was originally named Livingstone. It served as a cargo vessel for the British East Africa Rail Company and spent most of its first 50 years operating in the waters of the Ruki River in the northern Democratic Republic of Congo. In the early 1950s, the director of the movie, John Huston, discovered the boat and temporarily pulled it from service to use it in the film.

After its appearance on the silver screen, the African Queen changed hands several times. It was eventually purchased by Florida attorney and Humphrey Bogart enthusiast, Jim Hendricks Sr., in 1982. Hendricks Sr. took the boat around the world, including to the flotillas that marked the 50th anniversary of the battle of Dunkirk in the English Channel and the Queen Mother's 90th birthday on the River Thames. However, after Hendricks Sr.'s death in 2001, the boat once again fell into disrepair.

It was then that Suzanne and Lance Holmquist stepped in. The couple, who own a tall ship business in Key Largo, leased the boat from its owners and invested $70,000 in restoring it. The restoration process included installing a new steel hull and boiler. To maintain the boat's rustic charm, the Holmquists splattered it with mud to make it look like it did in the movie. The refurbished African Queen began sailing again in 2012, just in time for its 100th birthday. Today, it offers cruises around the Florida Keys, providing an intimate experience for fans of the classic movie.

The African Queen's rich history, both on and off the screen, has captivated many, including the Holmquists. Suzanne Holmquist, a self-confessed Bogart and Hepburn buff, has expressed her fascination with discovering more about the boat's past and hopes to share its story with visitors. The restoration of the African Queen has not only preserved a piece of cinematic history but has also ensured that its remarkable journey continues to be celebrated and enjoyed by enthusiasts worldwide.

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