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ATLANTA KOLIBRI also KORALLE JR. |
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My Five Kolibris
These are great little boats; a little fragile around rocks, but fast and fun to
sail!
Click on the thumbprints below for details
Kolibri # 1
(Kolibri is German for hummingbird)
The year was 1984. I was killing time in a hardware store while getting broken windows repaired. An ad
on the store's bulletin board caught my eye and I stopped for a closer look. Someone wanted to sell a 12'
"Kolibri" sailboat for only $250. It even had a car-top loading device and dolly. I looked, bought and
was hooked on sailing for life!
The boat had no trailer, so I bought another small boat with a trailer and sold
the boat for what I paid for both.
About ten years later, I found an orange Kolibri that had hardly been used. I
sold the yellow boat for twice what I paid for it. For 18 years, my wife, our
children and grandchildren enjoyed sailing our Kolibri.
It was not a happy day in 2002 when I finally sold our little "Hummingbird," but we
were retiring to the USA and couldn't take it with us. After settling in America, I began looking
for another Kolibri. The German-built Kolibri was sold in America for a number of years,
sometimes under the
name "Koralle Jr." but the few that I found on the Internet were too far away. Glenmore Boats of
Canada continued making the Kolibri with a few changes and another Canadian company built the "Echo,"
which is nearly
identical, but a new boat was was not in my budget. More recently I have learned of a "Koralle II
Sunsail" and a "Freedom Seeker 12" that were apparently from the same mold.
I owned several canoes and sailboats (see other tabs), but it was four years before I finally
found another Kolibri.
On July 29, 2007, I saw an ad on Craigslist for a Koralle Jr. located just across the Delaware
River in Philadelphia. I responded immediately
and on July 31, I towed my trophy home!
When the former owner heard that I was "downsizing" and had a Mutineer
15 for sale, he
came and bought it. Here are photos of both boats in our driveway.
The boat had been stored outside without protection, so the seat and transom were badly weathered.
The boat had been used primarily as a rowboat, however, and the centerboard, rudder and sails
were in
near new condition. I made a mahogany transom and seat, after which I took it for a sail.
One of the former owners had repaired several cracks in the floor of the boat, but he apparently was
not experienced in such repairs. I tightened the shrouds and in a brisk breeze, the floor suddenly cracked around the mast step.
Before I could get to shore, the mast dropped through the bottom of the boat! I have photos of
the damage and repairs on another page if you are interested:
Kolibri Repair
The photos below show the boat after repairs.
I am now sailing a Mistral12, so I sold my little red
hummingbird #3 on eBay for $810.
Kolibri #4 Purchased May 10th, 2008
This boat is the same color as the second Kolibri that I owned in Austria, but that one had
blue stripes on the mainsail. I bought it from the original owner with the original bill of
sale and owners manual. He sold a larger sailboat in 1972 and bought the Kolibri, intending
to purchase a trailer for it. That never happened and the Kolibri spent the next 36 years
stored in his garage.
I sailed this boat once but used the rudder from my red Kolibri rather than
the brand new one that came with this boat. I sold Kolibri #4 in September, 2009 with a nice aluminum trailer
for $1600. The owner later sold it and moved up to a larger vessel.
Kolibri #5
In May, 2010, someone wrote and asked if I was interested in a Kolibri. It
needed much work but the rigging was mostly there. I went and picked it up of
course! When new, it was like Kolibri #2 and #4, but this one is beyond repair!
I sold the dagger, rudder and sails. I will use the mast and boom on another
boat.
In summer, 2014, someone in Canada gave me the complete rigging for a Kolibri! I already know
where I can use most of the parts, but if someone gives me a good Kolibri hull I may change my mind!
Other Boats Built by Atlanta Boats in Germany
Atlanta Boat Works, Germany (Word document
about the history)
The Flamingo 20
The 440 (15 ft) No photo - may be one of the Varios?
The Vario I, II, III and S models, whereby the "S" may be the Vario
I
Someone in California sent photos of this unknown Atlanta 16.4' boat with the Atlanta hummingbird (Kolibri) and crown logo plus Roman numeral V
(5 meters). If anyone has more information, please send it to
harveyralph@gmail.com
The 550 (18 ft) Sketch shown below
The Koralle 15 (not to be confused with the Koralle Jr.) was only sold in Europe, but this one is
located in California.
The Mungo 10
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