Sail Number: 1947
Vessel Type: Alden Schooner
LOA: 65’ 11″ / 20.09m – LOD: 58′ 11″ / 17.71m – LWL: 45′ 7″ / 13.89m – Beam: 16′ 5″ / 4.99m – Draft Min: 4′5″ / 1.34m – Draft Max: 10′ 02″ / 3.07m – Ballast: 9000 lbs – Displacement: 60000 lbs – Sail Area Upwind: 1665 Sq. Ft – Design Number: 356-B – Hull material: Wood single layer carvel planking caulked – Designer: John G. Alden – Built by: Tewie’s Dockyard, Belize City, British Honduras – Year Built: 1947 – Current Name: Mayan: – Current Owner: Stacey and Beau Vrolyk – Location: Marine Traffic
Historical:
Owner Beau Vrolyk Comments
“MAYAN, John Alden design #356B, was built in Belize in 1947. She sailed for New York City upon launching and was sold into a post war market starved for boats. MAYAN served in the charter trade until 1969 when she was bought by David Crosby, the rock star, who owned her until we purchased her in 2014. Alden designed MAYAN to provide comfortable cruising for up to 8 guests and three crew. We have since altered her interior to support our family. During the ’50s she was re-rigged as a staysail schooner, we have returned her to her original transitional schooner rig, with a gaff foresail. She draws only 5′ with her centerboard up, which gives us access to all sorts of lovely gunk-holes and atolls. Home port is Santa Cruz, CA; although she’s only been “home” for less than half the time we’ve owned her. Most times, we’re either cruising the west coast of the US, or working on our lovely old wooden boat.”
MAYAN is a distinctive and elegant John Alden designed centerboard schooner built in Honduras in 1947 and rebuilt by the master shipwright Wayne Ettel in 2005.
Owned by David Crosby of The Byrds and CSNY fame for the past 40 plus years, she was the inspiration to one of the all-time classic modern day sailing songs, “Wooden Ships” which he penned in the salon. In addition The Lee Shore,” and “Carry Me,” we’re wrote while aboard.
Owner David Crosby Comments
David Crosby – “MAYAN became my rock. She was always there and I could always get away from the crazies in my business.”
“I always figured if everything really went to hell, we’d just leave on MAYAN and head for the islands. Back then a lot of us thought everything was going to collapse pretty soon. I’m sure glad it didn’t.”
Known Restoration History:
2005 – Wayne Ettel in Wilmington Harbor, CA. During the rebuild all planking was replaced and more than 70% of the frames. Frames were double sawn of purpleheart to match the original lines of the boat. Planking was with double planked Kapur below the waterline and Douglass-fir over Port Oreford cedar on the topsides. Both layers are sandwiching a thick layer of epoxy. The topsides are “bottle” smooth and extremely fair. The teak decks were re-laid in a modern fashion using 3M5200 as a gasket between sprung planks edge fastened with silicon bronze fasteners. A routed groove is filled with standard modern teak deck caulk. NO LEAKS!! The inside of the hull below the waterline is fully epoxy saturated to prevent rot intrusion.
Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):
- Owner/Guardian: (1947-1948) Charles W. Allen, New York, NY.
- Owner/Guardian: (1948-1953) Harvey S. Bisbell of St. Thomas, V.I
- Owner/Guardian: (1953-1962) Sepico Company, Miami, Fl. Renamed Sepico II
- Owner/Guardian: (1962-1966) Alice B. Rivaly, Miami, FL. Renamed Mayan.
- Owner/Guardian: (1966) James E. Ottaviano
- Owner/Guardian: Lee Goodwin
- Owner/Guardian: (1969-1994) David Van Cortland Crosby, Santa Barbara
- Owner/Guardian: (1994-1997) William Bevly B. Morgan
- Owner/Guardian: (1997-2014) David Van Cortland Crosby, Santa Barbara
- Owner Guardian: (2014-current) Stacey and Beau Vrolyk, Homeport St Francis YC, CCA, Santa Cruz, CA