The Smiley Smile Message Board

Hi all,

Does anyone know what became of Dennis' sailboat, Harmony?  My husband and I were taking a little cruise around the harbor in Marina del Rey last weekend, looking at all the boats, and he started talking about Dennis, which turned into a discussion about what ever happened to Harmony.  I did a little research online and all I was able to find was a question on a cruising forum that this person heard it was up for auction/sale (this was 2009, I think) but they didn't know any details and there were no responses.  Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Verrry good question -  welcome Gracie,  hope someone can provide you with the answers.

I reckon there might even be something in the archives on this forum, but from a fair few years ago.

No help, but a couple of nice pics and a little history:  http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f47/beach-boy-dennis-wilsons-sailboat-harmony-31594.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaaQwuxYSUg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaaQwuxYSUg)

A small clip from last year of The Emerald...
The history's full of IF... what if...

//RD

Very strange feeling watching that.

Welcome to the board !!


I guess Ed Roach could have some infos and will post them here.



BTW Is there some kind of benchmark for Dennis at the Marina ?

I'm just at a total loss; what is so strange about watching some old boat being taken out of the water?

Now, the related videos there are nice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xESLegOcc6A&NR=1&feature=fvwp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0R0jXkdpQ4&NR=1

from: http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/w/Dennis%20Wilson/dennis_wilson_of_the_beach_boys.htm



At the end of December 1983, Dennis was once again out of rehab, unsuccessfully. He took to hanging out at the docks where his old Yacht used to be berthed. He met up with old pal Bill Oster, who had a yacht called Emerald, near where Dennis kept his before. Emerald was docked in this Basin, number C-1100. Dennis and his current girlfriend Crystal McGovern spent the night of the Tuesday the 27th on the vessel. Dennis drank.

When he woke Wednesday morning, he began with screwdrivers at 9. Atta boy. He and Bill cruised around the marina in a rowboat to visit old friends, and returned to The Emerald. After lunch (turkey sandwiches) around 3 o’clock, Dennis announced he was going for a swim. Everyone thought he was nuts, because the water was so cold (58 degrees), but everyone also knew that he was unpredictable, and there was no stopping him. He dove in wearing only cut-off jeans, and swam underneath the spot where Harmony was docked before. He’d combed the ocean floor (12 feet below), and emerged from the water holding a picture of an ex wife, that he threw from Harmony years before, in a fit of anger. Dennis dove again for more treasures.  He resurfaced after the second dive, stating that there was a large box at the bottom of the ocean, and he needed rope to lift it up.  After the third dive, he didn’t resurface.

Dennis was known for practical jokes, and people didn’t worry too much. Yet. They even checked the local bars to see if Dennis was hiding out there – to no avail.

Dennis drowned. At 4:40pm, Oster flagged down a passing Harbor patrol boat. After they arrived, it took four divers working in the dark with a pole, probing the ocean floor, 30 minutes to find Wilson’s body.

Depend if you know any basic Beach Boys history or not. Bit like saying "what's so terrible about 10452 Bellagio Road currently being a large hole in the ground ?"

I see differences in the two, but based on Steve's posting I see the connection with the Boat video. 
For me 10452 Bellagio is a good connection. I've never seen, nor read, the story posted above; and while I knew of his being with friends on that day, I don't have any recall of the Emerald.
I plan to forget about it now. It's a senseless trip into the sad part of life, which I choose not to live.
For me, Dennis is his music.

Ignorance is nothing but sin...

Take your cd's and go offline then! No need to spend time online learning anything... Please turn of your TV too, there might be some pictures of people suffering from war or something that might lead you on a sensless trip...

I vote that The Emerald be relegated to Intermediate Beach Boys history.

And the turkey sandwiches around 3pm can be Advanced Beach Boys history.

Very strange feeling indeed, Andrew...  Kind of brings things full circle for me, as my first impression of The Harmony was this in reverse - watching her dropped in the water after being restored.
OK, for a little more Intermediate History on The Emerald: she was Jack Klugman's home on one of Dennis' favorite tv shows, "Quincy".  Check her out in her more glory days, about 50 seconds in:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXf4tV_aeDc  (Unfortunately, that Q doesn't pull back, but in the show you often see her name.  Fun days, when they used to film segments for episodes on the boat...)
As to the original post, and the current whereabouts of The Harmony; last I looked for her was about 10 years ago, when Stan Shapiro & I searched for her.  Seemed someone moved her up to the state of Washington, and I believe they were trying to sell her then.

I trust Ed's memory better than my own on this...but I seem to (probably erroneously) recall that she wound up in/off the coast of Oregon.  Mid to late 80's?

Thank you everyone for the information.  Those pictures of Harmony are really cool.  What a beautiful boat.  It's nice to know it was still around as of 10 years ago, so thanks Ed for that info.  Too bad it's not still in Marina del Rey though.  We were hoping for that.

For anyone interested. The sailboat 'Emerald' seems to have been restored but not completed.


http://www.spauldingcenter.org/boatfinder/2011/06/08/emerald-sailboat/

http://www.challengesfoundation.org/

Check this vessel  search database:

https://cgmix.uscg.mil/PSIX/PSIXSearch.aspx

Enter “Harmony“ in the Vessel Name field and “1950” in the Year Built field  and you’ll turn up a vessel - Harmony 1950 - same as Dennis’ boat.   Perhaps this is it?

For more info on Harmony’s history (where I got the build year)

http://www.cinetropic.com/blacktop/harmony/one.html

There is also a mention on a Facebook page of all things that a guy sailed on her but her name was changed to Libertine and owned by a guy named Will Stein - take that with a grain of salt of course.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.173448396125749.43347.108901685913754&type=3

The Harmony (1950) that comes up in the Coast Guard database is listed as 34.2 ft long.   I don't think that's Denny's boat.  Several sources describe Denny's boat, originally named the Watadori, as 52 ft, while an article in the San Mateo Times from 1952 describes it as a "50 foot ketch."

You’re right the length is certainly incorrect.  It amazes me that a damn nice yacht in its own right that’s pretty identifiable (the bird carving) and belonged to the drummer of one of the most famous bands in rock is this difficult to locate.  Perhaps the additional Inside Pop reels are on board!

I originally was trying to dig up a Hull Identification Number for the Harmony and regardless of name change she should be able to be found.  I’m going to keep looking.

I guess this kinda fits. It was just uploaded a couple of days ago.



1304 What Happened to DENNIS WILSON? Death Of A BEACH BOY - Jordan The Lion Travel Vlog (5/25/20)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBN824Qw_eo

Funny enough that video is what got me hunting.  I haven’t posted here since the forum fractured from The Smile Shoppe to smileysmile.  2007 or so!  See a lot of the same handles which is cool though!

Many moons ago I knew Fred Vail - I’m sure he was on the Harmony more than once . I’d love to ask him about it.

There's a Fleetwood Mac documentary on the making of Tusk with a segment showing Christine Mcvie hanging out on a boat that I assume is the Harmony. Theres a part where you here what sounds like Dennis' voice in the background calling to someone named Willy