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 far longer than 20 minutes.

Our figure of 20 to 25 minutes assumes an electric pump and a little practice. We had not spelled that out everywhere — we are doing so here. If you inflate the hulls by hand, add around 15 minutes. That puts you at roughly 35 minutes. For your very first build, plan 45 to 60 minutes.

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The electric pump is an accessory and costs 149.99 euros. It is by far the biggest single time factor when setting up — if build time matters to you, it is the most sensible addition to the boat.

What else speeds it up: keep to the order of the steps, lay out all the parts beforehand — and practice. By the second or third time the routine sits.

002 True — and intentional

The trampoline has to be laced up, which is fiddly.

Yes, the trampoline is tensioned with a line, and that does take a little longer — five to ten minutes depending on practice. Other manufacturers solve this with grooves. With us it is a line that you pull through until the tension is right.

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The advantage of this design: the tension can be controlled precisely, and the line can be replaced anywhere in the world in five minutes. The drawback: it costs time during setup.

Practical tip: thread it loosely first, then tighten. If the line seems too short at the end, the trampoline is not yet taut enough. The length of the line is deliberately measured so that it works out exactly at the correct tension.

Never sail with a sagging trampoline. It gives the smartkat® an essential part of its stiffness. Tensioning it is therefore not an annoying side step but an important part of the build.

003 True — and intentional

The mast can only be raised with the jib already fitted.

That is correct and comes with the design. On the smartkat® the jib does the job that a separate forestay does on other boats. That saves a component, weight and time — but it makes raising the mast in wind less settled, because the sail flaps while you do it.

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With two people it is much easier: one raises the mast, the other guides the jib. On your own it helps to roll up the jib beforehand and only open it once the mast is up.

In strong wind the same rule applies as for any boat this size: raise the mast with your back to the wind.

004 True — and intentional

The mainsail is fastened around the mast with velcro instead of running in a groove.

Yes, the mainsail is attached to the mast with velcro loops rather than running in a groove.

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The velcro solution is insensitive to jamming at the plug-in joints of the mast and can be repaired on board if something goes wrong.

That is a deliberate decision in favour of robustness and repairability — not in favour of convenience during setup.

005 True — and intentional

Load-bearing points are secured with split pins instead of shackles.

The split pins are a deliberate choice and are standard on boats in this class. They open without tools, are light, corrosion-resistant and can be replaced anywhere.

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What is true: a split pin should be checked before every trip. That is not specific to the smartkat® — it applies to every plug-in connection on a rig.

Take 30 seconds before you cast off and go through the connections: shrouds, bowsprit, centreboard, rudder. If you sail with children, check twice.

006 Not true

Nothing has changed technically on the boat for years.

The basic structure has indeed stayed the same for years — and that is intentional. Our guiding principle is to keep the boat simple and all parts compatible with one another. Anyone who bought a smartkat® in 2006 can still get spare parts for it today. And newly developed parts fit the old boats.

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That is a deliberate trade-off. A manufacturer who brings out a new model every year turns last year's boat into a discontinued model and the spare parts stock into scrap. We decided against that.

Plenty has changed nonetheless — on the hulls, and in many design details you do not see in a catalogue. Newly developed hulls, for example, fit without any problem onto a twenty-year-old boat. A smartkat® from 2006 can be upgraded with them today.

For us that is the more important promise: not something new every year, but a spare part still available in twenty years.

007 Partly true

You get more for the same money elsewhere.

That is a fair question, and the answer depends on what matters to you. Other manufacturers solve some things differently — with more components and more accessories. In the end that costs weight and setup time. With us you get manufacturing in Austria, spare parts for twenty years, and parts that fit every smartkat® model year.

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What critics expressly grant us: the smartkat® is robustly built and holds up in strong wind. The price is described as reasonable.

008 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.

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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