One does not naturally think of Poland as the centre of the marine industry and it would be far to say that it is not. However it has for some time had a good reputation for producing quality fibreglass sailing boats and occasionally powerboats for western European customers.

With the restraints of the old regime well and truly behind them, the Poles are desperate to be accepted as a country capable of producing quality goods of the highest order. It is with this philosophy that our hosts, SPORTIS SA, based near Gdansk on the Baltic coast, are now establishing themselves as one of Europe’s leaders in RIB and marine clothing manufacturers.

In many ways our visit to Poland was something of a pleasant surprise, especially our visit to the Sportis premises. As guests of Sportis we were escorted by the MD and his financial director, both of whom were most courteous and of course spoke good English. (how many Brits speak good Polish!) We were driven through beautiful countryside to a remote unmetalled track which appeared to lead into fields. As we bounced our way down the track we wondered if perhaps we had said something to upset our hosts and that we were to be thrown out miles from anywhere and made to walk back to civilisation.
Eventually we arrived at a collection of small buildings resembling a smallholding or chicken farm; certainly there was no evidence of a thriving marine business. Even on entering the offices situated in the main building there were no signs or smell of fibreglass or solvents usually associated with manufacturing. However, when we were led into another building it was like walking into the ‘Tardis’. From the outside it looked positively humble but to out surprise, inside there was a modern assembly plant with an air and humidity controlled environment together with the very latest equipment for the manufacturing of RIBs.

Everything was clean, tidy and well organised and we were impressed by what we saw. From the RIB factory we were led into an adjacent building, another ‘Tardis’ which housed row upon row of sewing machines, some thirty of which were in operation by women making marine clothing and buoyancy aids. We were informed that over 150 women were employed here but as it was a public holiday they had a skeleton staff in purely to complete a large commercial order.

By the time we had finished our tour we were left in no doubt as to the seriousness of Sportis’ ambitions to become Europe’s No.1 marine and outdoor leisurewear manufacturer and RIB producer.

It is not often that one gets an opportunity to test a new RIB in racing conditions but during our visit to Poland that is exactly what occurred. RIB International Magazine had been invited to participate in the inaugural Polish RIB Race and our steed was the new Sportis Idea 2000, a derivative of their standard 4.7m RIB. What struck us first about the Sportis RIBs was the quality and the finish. These craft are every bit as good as their western equivalents, especially in their detailed finish. The mouldings were excellent and the tube work had a quality look and feel about it, with no glue or scuff marks in evidence. Tube material is the established Pennel Flippo hypalon/neoprene mix but slightly heavier at 1400 decitex against the usual 1200 decetex.

The large diameter 948cm) tubes are divided into four separate compartments and although our race boat was finished in dark green, the usual range of colours, light grey, dark blue and red will be availible on UK specification RIBS. The hull shape is a moderate `V' forward progressing to a shallower `V' aft, with an unusual, but distinct, curve in the hull towards the transom. This curve is in fact an integral part of the hull that extends aft either side of the outboard motor to form what can be best described as fixed `trim tabs'. Being of a'box section', these also act as additional buoyancy to support the motor and double-up as bathing platforms to allow easy access to and from the water.

The interior is laid out in typical continental fashion, with the obligatory drivers bench/box seat set just in front of a moulded splashwell, and housing a seventy litre fuel tank. To starboard is the driver's console, which incorporates a windscreen with stainless steel surround and additional seating for another two/three people. The whole interior is a one piece moulding with raised lockers in the bow and amidships.

The standard equipment includes: a forward sun bathing cushion; double stainless steel 'A' frame; ski-hooks; double rubbing strake; lifelines; pump, and repair kit. All control cables etc. were neatly routed below deck, which in itself was finished in a non-slip texture which worked particularly well after we had managed to spill fuel during our refuelling stop in the race. A simple observation, but one that is easily overlooked, was the good positioning of the single lever controls in relation to the steering wheel. It really is so much easier to control and drive a boat with good ergonomics!

Internal stowage was greater than regular boats of this size and we particularly liked the amidships locker, which on the race boat had been utilised to accept two additional 22 litre fuel tanks. For the race, this extra capacity was a welcome bonus. However, under normal circum­stances, especially when using one of the latest technology 2 or 4-stroke outboard motors, the standard 70 litre fuel tank is more than adequate.

On our first acquaintance with the Idea 2000 we were far from convinced that she would perform correctly; with her significant beam and high topsides her appearance suggested that the tubes would float clear of the water, thus causing instability at rest. Another concern was the shape of the hull, which although it had a raised bow and a relatively deep `V' forward, appeared to have a very shallow Vee aft. Bearing in mind that we were to race this boat some ninety miles offshore in the Baltic Sea, and that the seat cushions were virtually non-existent, we were already making plans to contact our osteopath upon our return to the UK. As it happened, our fears were unfounded. When the boat was launched, we were impressed by the stability of the craft, the large diameter tubes actually settling reassuringly on the water at rest.

The actual race is covered elsewhere in this issue, but for the record, when the flag dropped we were not left on the line. In fact, after only a couple of minutes into the race we found ourselves leading and slowly pulling ahead of the opposition! So, the hull is efficient in calm water, but how did it perform in the white horses that were ahead? On hitting the rough stuff, we were pleasantly surprised by the ride the RIB afforded. She cut through the increasingly choppy seas with contemptuous ease, the hull remained level due to the built-in trim tabs and this enabled us to maintain full throttle and increase our lead.

On the next leg of the race, in a following sea, the boat never tried to `bury its nose' and made good progress whilst keeping us dry into the bargain. The solid feel and idiot-proof handling of this little craft was impressive. One real criticism, though, was the thinly padded seats. There was almost no padding whatsoever, which speaks volumes for the ride of the hull, but Sportis assure us that they will be increasing the thickness from 5cm to 15cm on all export boats in the future.

We started out by being sceptical about this craft, but we finished liking it a great deal. It gave the impression of being safe and sturdy whilst providing a reassuring feel. We then learnt that an adapted version of the same hull had success­fully crossed the Atlantic under sail last year! In conclusion, as a quality inexpensive family runabout, or sturdy harbour launch, we think that the Sportis Idea 2000 and the 4708 commercial version will prove popular when the boats appear in the UK next year.

Builder
SPORTIS S.A.
Bojano 106
84-207 Koleczkowo
Poland

Tel. 0048 58 6760122

UK Importer
Inflatable Boats International
PO Box 1066,
Croydon, CR3 5YU

Tel: 01737 644307
Fax: 01737 644173

Engine supplied by:

Parker Poland Sp. zo.o.,
ul. Solec 8,
00-489 Warszawa, Poland

Tel: 0048 22 6225840