Joost Engelen

Joost and his wife Viola Spek appeared in the Storer Boat scene when we heard of a Goat Island Skiff blitzing some of the days of the famous Caledonia RAID. They have been good friends ever since including helping us develop the Goat Island Skiff sails. More recently Joost directed the design of the Viola 14 Sailing Canoe, which is a hybrid of a sailing dinghy but with the weight and easy storage of a canoe. Both Joost and Viola (Viola the person) have tested the new sailing canoe for everything from Family sailing through to competitive RAID events. Joost is an occasional contributor to this website.

How to improve a cheap mass produced paddle

Save money by reshaping or tuning cheaper paddles to remove weight and improve in water handling, efficiency and comfort to use on a sailing dinghy to combine paddling and sailing or just paddle.

Dutch Goat Island Skiff Third in Caledonia RAID 2009 – Story

The GIS excels at a competive row and sail event. The Caledonia RAID is one of the oldest events of its type. A competitive multi day event that crosses Scotland from West to East including a crossing of Loch Lomond. It tends to attract long and efficient rowing sailing hulls. And here was one of the shortest, simplest and lightest hulls in the fleet punching well above its weight