Viola Canoe
Cool Boats: Viola 14 Sailing Canoe
The original Michael Storer-designed Viola built by Joost Engelen is a cool little boat with lots of poise. It has been around for some years but still looks perfect which is even more impressive because this is the prototype. Since then the Viola design has taken off and has been built many times. See 'Michael Storer Design' on facebook.
What triggered you to build your boat?
The designer of the boat is Michael Storer (of Goat Island Skiff fame). I approached him with the idea of creating a minimalistic looking, very lightweight performance sailing dinghy design the size of a canoe. The result is the Viola 14 sailing canoe that is 425cm long and 100cm wide with a hull weight of 30-35 kg (depending on the builder), which makes for uncomplicated cartopping. We wanted the boat to be easy to build with a small number of parts going into the hull. The Viola 14 has built-in buoyancy tanks on either side of the boat which makes it easy to recover after a capsize. A self-bailer gets rid of any water from inside the boat.
Which existing designs inspired or influenced you?
The Japanese Aquamuse sailing canoe (built of GRP composite) inspired the plywood five hull panel Viola 14 design. However, the final design turned out to be a different animal. More sail area and a different take on the overall shape, hull lines and volume distribution, a larger and deeper daggerboard and larger side buoyancy tanks. The result is a more performance oriented boat but still versatile. She is good for blasting around the lake but also for camp-cruising and long day sails.
How did the design evolve?
Within two weeks or so I received the first drawings from Michael Storer. Having sourced okoume 4mm marine plywood I started building the prototype. Over the build period we kept discussing rigging and outfitting details. Three rigs were developed for the boat. The original small 4.7m2 fully battened mylar fathead rig is arguably the best all-round rig. The larger 6.0m2 fully battened mylar fathead rig is suitable for heavier sailors or light-wind sailing. Finally, a 6.3m2 lugger rig was developed for cruising. It is easy to drop on the water, reef, etc. and is my first choice for events like the Raid Extreme.
Why is it called 'Viola'?
Michael called the design Viola 14 after my partner. The viola is also a beautiful wooden instrument and a beautiful flower. The 14 stands for 14 ft (425cm) which is the approximate length of the boat.
How did your boat meet your expectations?
Even better than I had hoped! The boat is really fun to blast around a lake with the fathead sails. Camp cruising / day touring capability was a bonus.
Where will you sail or are you sailing?
We sail all around the Netherlands. Mostly in Friesland, sometimes the Lauwersmeer or a small lake nearer to our home. This year Viola (my partner) is keen on sailing the boat during the Raid Extreme as a personal long distance challenge.
What is your favourite picture of building or sailing your boat?
A favourite is this photo where the boat went together with the assistance of some little helpers. This is the highlight for a stitch and glue boat: you start with a pile of panels and a couple of hours later when you tension the cable ties the boat starts taking its final shape. Another favourite is this action picture with the small fathead rig during our summer holiday in Friesland in 2019. Lots of wind every single day and we had great fun!
