MAYAN's History - Her Early Years... continued...

We've received the "General Index or Abstract of Title" from the US Coast Guard and it is interesting reading. Well, for some it's probably a bit boring, but as I read through these scant records of MAYAN's travels I can only imagine the gray waters of the Northeast, the choppy warm currents of the Gulf Stream and the turquoise and blue water of the Caribbean flowing beneath her keel.

Mayan arrive in New York City on July 19, 1948 at 10:55 A.M. as noted on page 336 of the customs book for that city maintained by the Deputy Collector of Customs, NYC. She was almost immediately sold to one Harvey S. Bisbell of St. Thomas, V.I., USA for the price of one dollar. That fall MAYAN headed south to the Caribbean to take up residence in those beautiful warm waters. On November 2, 1953 she was sold again to the Sepico Company of Miami, FL, USA for one dollar. (they re-named her SEPICO II)  Then on May 17, 1962 she was sold to Alice B. Rivaly of Miami, FL, USA for ten dollars; things were looking up and she retrieved her original name. (You don't suppose there was any tax evasion involved in these prices, do you?)  MAYAN was sold to James E. Ottaviano on February 15, 1966, this time for $16,500, which might actually have been her price in those days. Then again to Lee Goodwin, with a price of $10. Then, finally, to David Van Cortland Crosby on May 19, 1969 for $10. June 29, 1988 MAYAN's home port was changed from Miami to Los Angeles.

While David owned MAYAN in Florida he had her "rebuilt".  This picture of her being re-planked in the water is not the way David or I would have done it.

MAYAN being rebuilt in FL in 1988

 But, during that period David was performing with Crosby, Stills & Nash and didn't have the time to oversee MAYAN's care as he would have wished to. Much of what was done would be reversed in 2005, but that's another story. 

 
It's important to keep in mind that when these boats were built it was expected that they'd have a fifteen to twenty year lifetime.  Thus, the use of iron fastenings and more easily worked woods was not only common it was entirely reasonable.  MAYAN, like almost all boats of her era, was iron fastened and her deck was planked in Oregon Pine, what we now call Douglas Fir.  Eventually, the iron rusts and must be removed.  A difficult and costly process.

David Crosby, Owner: 1969-2014

That maybe far too much detail for most readers, but to us it's fascinating. One more entry appears in the USCG records that is of note. On November 23, 1994, as David struggled with addiction and numerous problems he transferred MAYAN to William Bevly B. Morgan. Mr. Morgan was to transfer MAYAN back to David on May 16, 1997 after David was clean and sober. For a fascinating story of these times in his life, we'd recommend David's autobiography: "Long Time Gone" Unlike many stars who haul out gallons of white-wash with which to tune up their histories, David talks directly, personally and explicitly about his problems with drugs, his difficulties with the law over guns, and what it's like to go "cold turkey" in solitary in a Texas prison. For anyone who is a fan of what David has done, as we certainly are, this is a must read. As the owners of MAYAN, there's a copy aboard.
In the pictures to the left, is a happy David who is clean and sober and sailing his boat. Cruising her through the Caribbean, across through the Panama Canal, up to California, with the occasionally trip to Hawaii and Tahiti.

MAYAN at anchor in Hanalei Bay, HI