I've been working on the Maven for a little over a year now. I originally started out by wanting to "chop" an old slalom boat (a Maverick) down to a squirt boat (this was post-Acrobat, pre-Oxygen days). So, as you'll see, I measured, marked, and cut. Around this time it's name was "Mave or Ick" (depending on how it came out). Scott B. suggested "Maven", as it's a) actually a word, and b) it seemed like you'd have to be one to paddle the thing. So, I cut. And decided it was too big still. So, I made a new deck for it, and tried it out, with the thought that the deck would be really low (like 3" off the hull (This is Eric Zitzow's fault-I was talking to him down in Chattanooga, and he said "other than the Oxygen, no one's really tried to get the volume out of a C1 deck to make a real squirt C1")). This was the "Maven prototype I", and worked OK, but was still too wide. So, I cut it in half the OTHER way, but was a bit too aggressive with the ol' saws-all (and didn't have the correct bit), so I ended up widening it a bit again. I also decided to add a "turret" (think "Monitor") to add a bit of volume in the center for stability and comfort. It's worked well, and I've dubbed it the "Maven prototype II". My next step is to smooth the boat with bondo-like stuff into a plug, and make a mold out of it to make a REAL Maven. I'm hoping this summer, but we'll see how work goes. For the curious, all that is left of the original Maverick is two strips of hull.

Right now I'd say it boats somewhere between the Oxygen and a Master cut Acrobat. A standard cut acrobat is defintely more stable, and faster, but has MUCH more volume as well. A Master cut I find nice, but very "edgey" and with a bit too much bouyancy for my tastes (though Huge Munro does VERY well in his!). The Oxygen's main issue, in my humble opinion, is not enough rocker (not to mention those flat edges). Yeah, it's fun, but it is not forgiving AT ALL, and sometimes we all need a little big of forgiveness! So, the Maven-more rocker, still narrow like the Oxygen, but with a rounded profile. The "turret" cockpit area has a different sort of volume that LOVES cartwheels so far...and since the volume is centralized around the paddler, it shouldn't effect mysteries too much, from my meager understanding (and talk about a "tool" area:) ). Once I produce one to play with, it will of course be available for all to try out, and if there's enough interest, I'll try and get PS Composites or Murky Water to build them...we'll C how it all goes!

At the very least I'd like to thank Scott B. and Jim Kelly-Rand for asking about how the Maven is going...it's helped keep me going on it!, and AdkSara for putting up with all the fumes, and her great help shaping the "turret"!

Here is a partial photo essay of what's taken place so far. It's missing a lot of intermediate images as I have yet to scan them in.
If you want to see the Maven prototype II in "action" on a slowly moving section of the Hudson, and a comparison of the Maven vs Acrobat (mastercut for 180lbs) and Fanatic II, scroll allll the way to the end.

Maven Prototype I

Maven Prototype II

Latest Maven Images...the first Maven out of the mold!!!

Popping the hull out of the mold...carefully (after a bit of sanding the excess gel coat and glass off...)

The deck piece still in the mold.......and the hull from the stern

Look at that shiney hull...from the bow and stern! (Yes, I DID do a little bit of polishing work...)

The deck mold...and the two halves together...along with my boat building mentor and the Maven

Hanging the Maven to lay the internal seams

Maven:
Designer: Adam Pearsall
10' Length
24" Width