"Amaya" -- a 1925 Stephens berthed at Willow Berm, California.

The classic yacht Amaya, is enjoyed in partnership by Reynaldo & Jody Terrazas and John & Trudy Anderson. She is the first of Stephens Brothers large series yachts. The Amaya is a 47 foot combination raised deck cruiser with cabins of solid teak. Her keel was laid in 1925 and she was launched at Stephens boat yard in Stockton in 1926.

Amaya was built for industrialist and yachtsman,Mr. D. F. Axelson of Los Angeles, at the cost of $12,500. Mr. Axelson cruised her from the Channel Islands to Catalina Island and down the coast to Baja. He christened her Amaya  and kept her in Los Angeles until 1943 when he sold her to Dr. William X. Okker of Oakland, California.

After taking posession of his new yacht, Dr. Okker sailed Amaya  North along the California coast to the San Francisco Bay, stopping at port each night. This was war time so he was allowed only a day's provisions on the chance he might be apprehended by the enemy's submarines.

In 1946, Dr. Okker had Amaya  documented and renamed her Cardinal Chief. Dr. Okker was an avid sailor and he took great pride in maintaining the Cardinal Chief. The vessel was berthed at the Oakland Yacht Club in a covered berth until the time of Dr. Okker's death in 1976.

From 1976, until the Terrazas purchased Cardinal Chief in January 1988, the vessel had several owners and the documentation was surrendered following change of ownership in 1982. In January 1988, the boat was reinstated with the original documentation numbers and the Terrazas renamed the boat to her original name, Amaya.

When the Terrazas purchased Amaya she had spent 8 years in neglect, but in spite of this, the boat had not been altered from her original layout. The teak wheelhouse doubles as a second stateroom with two berths concealed in the walls. Forward is the crew's quarters, but now the kids have replaced the crew. The galley is spacious for a boat its size with the unique feature of having the engine box double as a table. The original oak ice chest is still in use. The aft stateroom retains its original character with double settees that becomes berths.

From stem to stern she is a perfect example of yachting elegance of bygone days. Once she graced the harbors of Catalina Island, and now can be seen cruising the Bay and Delt or attending Classic Yacht Association meets.  Amaya has given the Anderson and Terrazas families many happy hours and with loving care she will sail into the future of a lovely lady of the past.

 

Owners: Reynaldo & Jody Terrazas and John & Trudy Anderson
Year: 1925
Builder: Stevens Bros. Yachts
LOA: 47'
CYA Fleet: Northern Californi