François Vivier - Naval Architect

François Vivier

Ilur

Méaban

Quimper

Here’s a short introduction to François Vivier, a very experienced and respected French naval architect who has designed numerous sailing boats, many of them suitable for building by amateurs. His designs range from the smallest pram dinghy to the 17.2 metre Quimper. She is based on the lines of a traditional mid-19^th century lugsail coastal trader.

His Ilur* is perhaps his most well-known design. Over a thousand plans have been sold. She’s a traditional styled open boat propelled by a loose-footed lugsail and with oars. There’s an option to have her rigged with a balanced lugsail, but I’m not so keen on this, on account of the boom. The clinker version can be obtained in the form of a NC cut plywood kit.

My favourite Vivier design is his Méaban**.  She’s a 6.8 metre cruising yacht with a centreboard that does not intrude into the cabin. Good use is made of her interior by having two berths, a small galley, several lockers, a sliding chart table, a folding table for when at anchor or in harbour, and a toilet in the forepeak. The auxiliary engine comes in the form of a 4 to 6 HP outboard mounted in a well, which is forward of the rudder, but aft of her large cockpit. She can be rigged as a gaff sloop or Bermudan sloop.

Links

François Vivier Naval Architect

http://www.vivierboats.com/index.html

François Vivier Designs

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/vivier/index.htm

*Ilur

http://vivierboats.com/albumsen/Sail%20and%20oar/Ilur/index.html

**Méaban

http://www.vivierboats.com/html/stock_classic.html#meaban

Méaban Sail Plan and Cabin Layout (PDF)

http://www.vivierboats.com/Img/meaban.pdf

Contact details:

François Vivier

7, avenue des Courtils
44380 Pornichet
France

Tel : + 33 2 28 54 97 86
Mobile : + 33 6 74 54 18 60
Fax : + 33 811 386 298
Mail : fr(at)vivierboats.com