smartkat® reviewed: experiences, criticism and honest answers

reviews & criticism

smartkat® reviewed. What’s true — and what isn’t.

There are critical videos and forum posts about the smartkat®. We collected the points that come up most often and answer them here — as the manufacturer, in plain words. Some criticism is justified. Where that is the case, we say so.

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01 nothing glossed over 02 real figures 03 made in Austria
001 Partly true

Setting it up takes longer than stated.

We say 20 to 25 minutes — and that comes with the words "with a little practice". The very first time, on your own and without instructions, plan for around 45 minutes. After the second or third build you will be in the stated range, and it goes considerably faster with two people.

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So you can judge for yourself, we show the build on our video page. If 20 minutes matters to you: the routine is easy to learn, but it will not happen by itself on your first attempt.What speeds it up: keep to the order of the steps, inflate the hulls roughly first and bring them to full working pressure at the end, and connect the frame parts before inflating.

002 True

The transparent sail is hard to see out on the water.

This one is fair. A transparent sail gives you a clear view upwards and feels light — but out on the water you are less conspicuous than with a coloured sail. On busy waters you should factor that in.

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Our current sail sets come in orange/grey and orange/blue. The coloured panels improve visibility considerably compared with a fully transparent cloth.A sail set can be bought separately at any time — including for older boats. Ask us which version fits your model year.

003 Partly true

In light wind the sail does not set properly.

In very light wind every sail needs careful trim — that is not specific to the smartkat®. But it is true that sails lose their shape over the years. A ten-year-old cloth no longer sets like a new one, and light wind is where you notice it first.

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If you are buying a used smartkat®, look closely at the condition of the sails — that is the single item that most affects how the boat feels.Replacement sails are available individually: mainsail, jib, or as a complete set.

004 Partly true

The smartkat® does not point high into the wind.

That comes with the design and we are not going to talk around it: an inflatable catamaran with a centreboard has less lateral area than a keelboat. It does beat to windward — but it will not point like a cruising keelboat. If pointing high is your main priority, a keelboat suits you better.

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What makes a real difference in practice: put the centreboard down early and sail with clean sail trim. Anyone beating with a half-lowered board and a loosely trimmed sail will make noticeable leeway and then blame the boat.The trade you are making: you give up some pointing ability and get a boat that needs no trailer, no berth and no winter storage.

005 True

The short hulls throw a lot of spray.

True, and it is simply physics: the shorter the hull, the more spray. On the 4.00 metre model it is noticeably more than on the 5.00 metre model. If sailing dry matters to you, take the 460 or the 500.

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This is one of the points where the choice of model really shows. Tell us where and how you want to sail and we will tell you which model fits — even if that turns out to be the more expensive one, or none at all.

006 Partly true

Seams and tabs come loose.

Such cases exist and we follow up on every single one. The most common causes we see: prolonged sun exposure without a cover, too little working pressure while sailing, storage while damp or folded, and ageing of the bonded joints.

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What we do about it: we repair, we supply spare parts for many years — including for older model years — and we say openly what the material needs: shade when ashore, correct working pressure, dry and tension-free storage.If something is wrong with your boat, send us a photo and the serial number. We will look at it and tell you what is possible.

007 Not true

The smartkat® is too expensive.

Compared with similar boats, that is not the case. A smartkat® costs between 6,890 and 7,290 euros. Comparable inflatable sailing catamarans from other manufacturers are currently offered for over 8,500 euros in some cases. On top of that, with us: manufactured in Austria, spare parts supplied for many years, and a direct line to the manufacturer rather than a hotline.

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What never comes up with a smartkat®: trailer, berth, winter storage and slipway fees. With a conventional boat those costs run every year — over five years they often add up to more than the entire difference in purchase price.Whether that works out for you depends on how often and where you sail. Work it through for your situation — we are happy to help.

still unsure?

Ask us anything.

If a point above matters to you, write to us. We would rather talk you out of the wrong model than sell you one that does not fit.

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