Kolibri Cats
 

After splashing out £1,350 on the new Boatworld KAT. I just spotted these in ebay and worse they are only 20 miles from where I live.

Do you think these are legit

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385693642...Bk9SR9bvuoupYg

There is obviously a lot to be desired with the description translation.

But the fact that a 3.8 and 4.2 would appear to be in the range sparks my interest.

I wonder if the seller has one already in the UK which could be made available for viewing.

I'll use the ask a question function to ask.

I await a response:

Kolibri Cats
 

Good find Easedalenovice. Whether the eBay guy is kosher probably deserves a bit more digging, but the boat range looks interesting.

Kolibri from the Ukraine have been around since the mid nineties I think and popular with the fishermen amongst us, so no worries on the make. They were represented at Boatlife this year and interestingly didn’t know they’d introduced a cat range.

Specs on the Kolibri site all look OK to be fair. Big tubes, wide beam, five air chambers, prv’s, welded main seams, full length skid patch, splash moulding to rubbing strake, plenty of grab handles, decent colour scheme etc. etc. Not too keen on the solid ply transom for quickly shedding water but easily remedied with a couple of large drain hole fittings. Transom also looks a tad high on pics, but also easily remedied if a problem.

https://kolibriboats.com/en/catalog/...ea-cat-series/

Scoot on over to Bury St. Edmunds and check this out, there’s a good chap. [emoji106]


Edit; Posts crossed, and see Nasher has already started the digging.[emoji106]

I smell something.
Personally rather pay the extra and deal with a reputable company. Imagine any warranty claims

Out of interest just contacted the official UK importers of Kolibri, The Wolf Rock Boat Co.
Helpful as ever they are not importing the SeaCat range and have no plans to do so in the foreseeable future. So no idea on the actual retail price of these.

Anyone know any other UK companies that sell Kolibri inflatables?

There was a stand at Boatlife back in February with some Kolibri boats on show, but can’t recall the name. Hope it wasn’t Wolf Rock!

I don't think there is any doubt that Kolibri themselves are a genuine company with a good reputation:
https://kolibriboats.com/en/

And as chipko suggests:
https://www.thewolfrock.co.uk/kolibri

The question is more about the Ebay seller.

It could be that he's unofficially importing them into the UK, perhaps because Wolf Rock are not offering them, but they would not be supported for warranty etc.

Perhaps a Refugee from Ukraine who knows someone ?

I notice Kolibri boats are being presented at Southampton Boat Show by Wolf Rock.

Perhaps every Ribnet member who attends the show could ask on the Wolf Rock stand about Kolibri Cats:whistling:

Nasher, we’re off to the show next week so will give the Wolf Rock boys a visit and ask where’s this new SeaCat then??

If anyone else going feels they could spare a few minutes and enquire then that would be great. Thanks.[emoji106]

chipko

I spoke to Wolfrock on the phone a couple of days ago and asked them about the Kats.

I'm going to meet them at the show to discuss on Thursday.

I will have a chat to them

Wolf Rock will have other Kolibri inflatables at the show, but not on their outdoor RIB stand.
They will be indoors on their sister company stand, but I have to apologise because I can't remember the company name.
For me it is a great opportunity to look at the quality and materials they are made from.

But I still have a huge decision to make:

The Kolibri Kat appears to be great value for money sourced through the EBAY seller.
I will be asking Wolf Rock on Thursday to quote for a 3.8 SEA CAT, if they can get one, to see just what I'd be paying to ensure peace of mind with regard to aftersales service.

I do like the Takacat, and have crawled all over them at the SBS each year.
They are at least twice the price of the Kolibri, but do have that great open tube structure transom, the lack of which is the only thing putting me off the Kolibri.
I'm assuming at this point I won't find a used 3.8 Takacat for sale.
I can't find that Takacat, or Avon marine, will be at SBS this year.

The Boatworld cat looks to be great, if only they'd release a 3.8 version.
They are exhibiting at the SBS, and I will be asking them about their plans for a 3.8.

Nasher, Also keen on the sporty open transoms on the Takacat/BoatWorld SportKat but gut feel long term wear/play in the tube fixing pockets may be an issue, particularly if using larger motors. Also you’re committed to using only the OEM transom wheels. Apart from sporty looks and rapid water shedding the traditional solid transoms are perhaps the better option long term.

If we take a punt on a Kolibri SeaCat, which is highly likely, then will be fitting a couple of 42mm transom drains like these from Ribstore
to quickly shed any large dumps of water;

https://www.ribstore.co.uk/products/...nsom-drain-kit

Already tried a couple of smaller 22mm ones on our Elling, which work well assisting the original centre bilge drain. To be fair the Elling being a closed bow cat we don’t really get much water coming in, except when launching in the surf, so super rapid draining not really an issue. I think the larger ones linked above will be adequate on an open bow cat.


Attachment 143693


Attachment 143694

Personally if we went big bucks with a Kiwi cat then would go TrueKit over Takacat. Like their build quality and aluminium solid transoms with the rapid drain system.

Thanks chipco, I'll have to investigate the True Kit range.

My eldest lad has just thrown a bit of a curve ball my way.
"I really liked the Aerotec, have you thought about finding another one of those instead?"

I did point out that being PVC even the last of them will be starting to degrade by now depending on how they've been stored, and a new PVC boat would be good for longer.

>>really liked the Aerotec, have you thought about finding another one of those instead?"
I did point out that being PVC even the last of them will be starting to degrade by now

Mine is one of the last proper production years... 2014... so its 9yrs old now. At purchase the dealer predicted an 18yr life. This seemed to be supported as a bit before Covid there were reports from members of several 1999-2001 models suffering glue failure when they reached 18-20yrs old.

The odd thing is you'd have expected then in the following years to hear of lots of failures in Aerotecs up to say 2005 models by now as they reached this nominal critical age. But that hasn't happened. It's crossed my mind if they improved the glue and/or method as the years went on?

In any case I just have a gut feeling mine will make 20yrs in our use/care... assuming we have need for it that long.

Now that really is a dilemma!

As an ex Aerotec’er, have to agree that for us it’s firmly down as ‘the best of the best’ in the inflatable world, even taking into account its foibles.

However after many years therapy, and many boats later, I’ve finally accepted there is indeed life after an Aerotec. I’d still buy one if they were available new or if anyone else made a copy, so perhaps not as cured as I thought.

What I won’t do though is pay silly money for an ancient Aerotec no matter how good the seams appeared. In that respect I’m cured.

Thanks Fenlander.

I was thinking more about degradation of the tube material itself.
It's known of course that PVC degrades over time under UV light much quicker than Hypalon.
So it depends how the boat has been stored and looked after.

The Aerotec we had was an early one, and had been left outside fully inflated all year round for a number of years before we rescued it.
The material had become slightly tacky with pinholes along the very tops of the tubes, but was very easily sorted with wear patches.

.

Ahh understood re the material. Most Aerotecs seem to have been bag stored and yours was the only one on the forum that I can remember in over a decade to have had that sticky problem reported. Seen it loads on Honwaves etc at marina dinghy stacks though.

Have you already got an outboard to suit the new "fun" SIB?

Oh yes!
The engine I consider to be the ultimate for a 3.4-4m SIB.

15HP 2T Short shaft.
Light enough to move about and transport easily:
https://www.rib.net/forum/f10/mercur...aft-90192.html