Boat profile: Wolf (Koos' sailing canoe, the design is Artemis by Axel Schmid)
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What triggered you to build your boat?
After 7 years of sailing the (foiling) International Moth, I got a bit bored with it. I wanted to build my own boat, fiddle with it, and be able to fix things in my own house. My hallway is 6 x 1.5 metres, so, looking for a boat that is still relatively fast, a long and slender hull seemed ideal, I hoist it up in the house, in the hall. A boat that I could take for camping too, and that would be fit for adventure racing, the Everglades Challenge has always been my inspiration.
Which design did you choose and why?
I looked at many boats, but since the Artemis design won the Canoe Segel Criterium in Bremen many times (now a few time more) I thought this would be good, a boat that you can paddle and sails well. Axel Schmid invited me to come over to Bremen and try the boat, and, from paddling and sailing it, the hull shape fit me perfectly. I just wanted to change the sail (bigger area), some of the rudder arrangements (precise steering like the International moth) and add a hiking plank, which I did. Michael Storer and Joost Engelen helped me greatly to get the right rig on the boat.
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How did your boat meet your expectations?
Perfectly. The boat paddles and sails well, getting many thumbs up! In light airs, especially when you are allowed paddle-sail, the canoe is a rocketship. I led the fleet (140 boats) of the Brio sailmarathon (a 60 km distance race) for the first 1.5 hours of racing, such a thrill! The year before on that race, I was the first boat ever to finish this race solo (it's been raced since 1988). In heavier winds, going upwind is fine, but slowing the boat down (it being so light) is a problem as you lose control (talking about 20-25 knots of wind at sea and on bigger lakes).
The canoe has done fine on camping trips on the sea area in Denmark (Danish south sea, a perfect island territory for small boats and bigger boats alike), the Oder river, and does fine on the Friesian lakes. I won the Canoe Segel Criterium 2 times, letting Axel in for two more wins in his Artemis as well.
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Where will you sail or are you sailing?
Normally, I car top the boat to events or camping trips. I sail on the lakes of Friesland, but have been out on the Wadden Sea once (scary!) as well. I do camping trips for weekends, bringing my gear in a waterproof carbon-foam constructed wannigan (a box to store stuff). This doubles as a seat and serves as extra floatation in case of a capsize (capsizes are a normal part of sailing for me, having come from Moth sailing).
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How did the boat get its name?
The name is about being a Wolf in sheep's clothing. There is much carbon inside the boat, but I do not normally like to be "flashy" with shiny carbon all over (and I suck at building boats!). So, the outside looks traditional, but the boat is fast! The skipper may seem like a friendly guy on shore, but when I race, or have to survive in waves offshore I let the beast out.
Do you know of other Artemis canoes that are currently being built?
There is one in Greece, one in Australia, and of course Axel in Switzerland. Axel has a busy job, next to having his boat-design and sales business, so can't do much to promote the design. The Artemis canoe is available from Duckworks though (https://duckworks.com/artemis-sailing-canoe-plans/). I also think I'm not doing much good for the promotion of the design, as I guess my sailing style puts people off. With less sail area, no plank, Artemis can be a very docile canoe for cruising as well, sitting on a seat inside the canoe, as many canoe sailors do.
