Interesting, but I can think of two ways you could still have water world- a planet without a moon- and have land. And if I can think of two than there are probably more ways "the Universe has thought of".
First is that instead of Venus being at Earth distance put it between Earth and Mars or simply at Mars distance. More water gets locked up into ice- assuming the whole planet doesn't turn into a snowball- you would have more land area. There is no "need" for 70% of surface covered in liquid water- say 20% of surface (near warmer equator). There could be a lifeforms (like on Earth) which colors the snow and ice- thereby having feedback mechanism which controls planetary temperature. Mountain could be formed by huge ice packs which through glaciation form mountains and valleys. Sprinkle in a few impactors and you get a varied terrian- possibly more varied than on Earth. And because the planet's axis would shift, it's scientists could decide that because their planet has no moon, only planet without Moons can develop sentient life.
Next:
Have a water world. On Earth tropical islands form from volcanos and later sink below the waves or never get above the waves, but islands formed from biological processes- coral reefs. Errosion is not factor since life builds the island faster than can be eroded. Or you don't even need land ever to get near the surface- you could have an island built solely from living organisms which floats- or gets so big that it grounds on some shallower part of the ocean. And /or some biological symbosis between creature at bottom of ocean and the surface floating island.
-gb