Has anyone built (or is building) the Diva kayak?

[Guest jchamberlin]

Anyone out there have one under construction? I bought the plans....just interested in your experience in building. This is the first B & B design for me. Previous boats include two Bolger Pointy Skiffs, Pygmy Coho kit, and I'm currently working on a Dave Carnell $200 sailboat.

Thanks for reading this.

Regards,

Jim

[Kudzu]

I am giving the Diva Serious consideration. But getting any information is like pulling teeth. There have been a couple mentions of building a Diva on here but those folks have not stayed around long enough to answer any questions.

From what little I have picked up it seems to be a great little boat. My plan is (well was) to build one over the winter before starting on my CS-20. However looks like I want be in the new house till Dec.

If you do build the Diva PLEASE post photos and let us know how it goes. Would be nice to finally find someone willing to give info on the Diva.

[Designer]

I just received an article on building a pair of Diva's from Chris Spooner which was published in 2 parts in an Australian boat builder magazine.

I plan to put it on our web site as soon as I figure out how to do it.

[Kudzu]

Thanks Graham! That would be wonderful!! He had said he was going post on here but so far he hasn't.

Just to be clear, and I meant to say this in my first post. Graham has answered a couple of questions about the Diva for me. I don't want my comments to sound like there aimed at him or B&B!!

[bwb]

Sorry Guys,

I haven't figured out how to reduce my pictures to be small enough both in physical pixels and file size for the forum yet. More to the point, I haven't had the time to figure it out.

I still intend creating a website/album of my Diva construction, but if Graham can publish what I've sent, then that will be a help to anyone interested in building one of them until I get myself sorted out. This hocus pocus with computers is a little out of my league - give me some timber and glue anyday.

But take it from me - the Diva is not overly difficult to build, and the resultant kayak a stunner - the two I built are much admired.

Chris.

[Frank Hagan]

Chris, I can convert the pics for you. You can send them to frankhagan@ev1.net and I'll run them through my photo processing software to make copies that are "forum friendly".

[Greg Luckett]

I bought a plan set a year or so ago, then decided I was already too busy finishing up other projects, then also decided I was too old and fat for the Diva. A few days ago my youngest, Ben, said he really wanted a kayak. I told him we could probably build a Diva this winter in a couple of weekends, but I thought we should build more than one. I wonder if Graham would mind if we built more than one, or should we buy another plan set too?

[bwb]

Greg,

Graham charged me a royalty of $8 per kayak after buying the first plans set at full price. He doesn't need to supply another set of plans, so there is no postage, handling or printing costs for him to have to charge you for.

Works out good for the builder.

Doing two at once was not a big hassle if you have the space. I could do something on one, and while it was drying, do the same on the next.

Whatever troubles you find and work out are automatically easier on the second, so the second one goes together faster and easier although you still build them both at the pace of building the first one.

Having both at once out the front of my workshop was a real traffic stopper, especially once they were structurally complete.

Best of luck with yours.

[Nemo]

Having a really hard time finding a kayak design that:

a) Is smaller than 14' (for my son)

That can be built from plans (I'm in Australia)

Most I've seen are one offs and in general are not on the top of most designers todo list.

Appreciate any links or information

PS: Diva is real nice but just to big

:cry:

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[bwb]

Hi all,

I too have been looking for a set of plans for proper small kayak. There are numerous kits available, but the cost of shipping to Aussie is going to make it too expensive. The little Pygmy's at 10' and 13' look about right, but they do not supply plans of them. And all other childrens kayaks I've seen that have plans available are for 'toy' kayaks.

Perhaps it's time Graham deigned a mini Diva for the children of Diva owners. My children want a small one each, and I have had numerous requests for me to build child-sized proper kayaks from potential Diva buyers. If mum and Dad have a real kayak, why can't the rest of the family. There would be quite a ready market for some little Divas.

Just to let you know that the picture in Nemo's post is one of the two I built, getting taken home after it's first launching.

Nemo is a friend and he is giving me a hand to down-size my photos for posting. Watch this space....

Cheers,

Chris.

[Designer]

Chris,

If you two lean on me hard enough, I guess that I will have to oblige.

[Kudzu]

Thanks for the photo! I have looked at is several times and I have to say that is a good looking boat. Just convinced me to build one this winter. Can't wait to see more photos!!!!!

[Nemo]

Graham,

You have two customers for sure.

I'd ask any reading this who like the idea of child kayak to say "aye"

For Jim and Jeff another photo to tide you over until Chris comes out of the workshop and back to his computer

Shaun

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[Designer]

Shaun,

How about you and Chris email me with your paremeters like length, beam, payload and any other wishes you might have and I will see if I can meet them.

[Nemo]

Graham,

We had talk on the phone today and Chris will email you some details shortly.

Just confirmed my son is ~32 Kg and 1.4 m tall this should fit within the ranges given by Chris I hope?

I'm about to head off interstate so this is my last post for a while.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

Shaun

l

[Designer]

Shaun,

Yes, I got Chris's email.

For any one interested, I have posted Chris's article on building the twin Diva's on the B&B website. It is still a bit rough at the moment as I don't have the software to extract the jpegs from the text in a pdf file, but all of the text is there. I will see if Chris will send me the pics seperately.

[Kudzu]

Shaun' date='

Yes, I got Chris's email.

For any one interested, I have posted Chris's article on building the twin Diva's on the B&B website. It is still a bit rough at the moment as I don't have the software to extract the jpegs from the text in a pdf file, but all of the text is there. I will see if Chris will send me the pics seperately.[/quote']

Why not just post the PDF file?? I am axious to see those photos!! On my way to the web site now!

[Frank Hagan]

Graham, you can post the PDF file here for download ... the "Add Attachment" feature should let you attach a PDF as long as it isn't bigger than 1.46MB.

Or I can extract the JPGs for you ... I have the complete software on my laptop.

[Kudzu]

Just read the article and can't wait to see the photos!

The house we are building is getting close to being finished. My shop will be free of house projects and I can't wait to start building a Diva! Since selling our lake home and my sailboat, giving my old kayak away and my Cris is waiting some hull repairs I am having withdrawls! I miss being out on the water.

[bwb]

Hi Graham,

The magazine is published - the first part of the article has hit the streets.

I have a copy of the magazine in the post to you, along with a CD of the article (in word) and the photos in the article, plus a second CD of all of the construction and launching/paddling photos I took - over 100 of them!

You can use/post any that seem appropriate. Frank thought he could reduce them to make them 'forum friendly', so perhaps you could send the CD on to him when you have finished with it.

The two owners are using their Diva's a lot, and enjoying them.

My son is anxious to get his own 'baby Diva', and I'm looking forward to building that as well as one full sized one for myself.

Are the plans available yet, for the Grand Diva?

Chris.