Just recently, the yacht builders in the archipelago off Stockholm announced a new Diva 40; we have reported. However, Fabola Yachts has now decided to postpone the innovative 40-foot project for the time being and instead focus on the development of a new Diva 34 SC with a similar design. The new ten-metre boat should be ready in spring 2017 and then prove itself in initial tests. The previously planned 40-metre boat will then follow a little later.
Designer Bernt Lindquist also designed the smaller 34 SC. The modern, exciting look symbolises the development of a new shipyard line at Fabola. Like its larger sister, the Diva 34 SC has pronounced moulded edges that extend far forward. In addition, the waterline at the stern is distinctively constricted, allowing the boat to manage with just one rudder blade. The extremely voluminous bow section is just as striking.
The hull appendages were designed by Kåre Ljung for Fabola Yachts, a man with experience in the racing yacht business. Ljung has worked for teams in the America's Cup, designed Imoca Open 60s and contributed to the development of the foiling catamarans in the GC32 class. A T-shaped fin is attached as the standard keel. This gives a draught of 1.94 metres. A short keel with a shallower draught is likely to be offered as an alternative.
The Diva 34 SC concept allows customers to configure the boat to their personal requirements and wishes. Customers can choose whether they want a more sporty version with an open rear cockpit, tiller steering, bowsprit and more sail area or whether they want to remain more moderate, with double steering wheels, benches at the stern and a folding bathing platform. This should make the new Diva a serious competitor to, for example, the Dehler 34 which is only now undertaking its first test runs. The German boat from Greifwald shows a similar versatility.
A special feature of the Diva is that the companionway is mounted offset to the side. This means that the halyards and trim lines only run over the cabin superstructure on one side to a central winch. Fabola Yachts has already implemented this arrangement in a similar form on the small cruiser Campus 7.5 (test in YACHT 4/2013). On the 34 SC, the sheets for the genoa and for the spinnaker or gennaker are also sheeted via the cabin superstructure using additional winches.
Compared to the competition, the Diva 34 SC will be quite light: The boat is built entirely as a GRP sandwich construction using a vacuum infusion process with a foam core and vinyl ester resin. The floor assembly with the mast base is permanently integrated as part of the hull structure in what is known as the "one shot" process. And the interior is also made almost entirely from GRP sandwich in composite construction. This also saves weight compared to boats built with plywood parts.
The Diva 34 SC has a standard interior layout with one cabin forward and two cabins aft. Alternatively, one of the two aft cabins can be more spacious. In this case, the volume on the other side is used as a forecastle, which should be accessible both from the cockpit and from the inside. The shipyard has not yet been able to provide us with a layout plan for the interior fittings.
The Diva 34 SC will cost 126,130 euros in the basic configuration (gross, without sails). The shipyard also offers attractive equipment packages for a more comfortable orientation or for sports sailors with many performance-orientated details. A carbon fibre mast with rod rigging is available for a good 13,000 euros extra.
The Fabola Yachts shipyard now also has an official sales partner for Germany, it is the company Diamond Yachts in Laboe.
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Michael Good
Editor Test & Technology
