Delphin 85 vintage (1961)

[DaveEurope]

Hi all !

First i would like to introduce myself. i am a European guy living in Belgium. (yes , the land of the waffles and chocolate, but much better known for the more than 1000 different beers )

I recently have purchased a DELPHIN 85 "Faltboot" and i love to know more about it. It is in mint condition and complete. It still has the original papers with it and a sailing kit. I bought it from a German lady, who found it in the cellar of the house of her dad who passed away, and she knew that he had bought it and put it away there. So when i got home i assembled it. It looks te be in superb condition for it has been only used once or twice. only the top is faded from colour (sorry, my language is Dutch...)

Now. What is this boat worth ? I allready spoke to a German guy, who told me that the quality of the boat should be better than the pouch series (he compared it to a russian old car wich( would be a Lada) and a Mercedes)

I know the boat is dated 1961 on the tagplate.

Anny suggestions ? I probably am going to sell it later on...

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm24 ... G_2802.jpg
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm24 ... G_2799.jpg
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm24 ... G_2801.jpg

Thank you !

[chrstjrn]

It looks very beautiful. I have no idea of a price. It appears upmarket of the Klepper, with those finely-formed rudder pedals and... are those steam-bent ribs? As you said, it appears to be in excellent condition. More photos of the hull (the bottom, close-ups of any areas with serious wear...) and the frame assembled without the hull would be appreciated. And what is the blue boat that you have in photobucket?

Your English is excellent, as is often the case with Nederlanders

[DaveEurope]

The blue one was a LFB Stern, bought it and sold it to a friend of mine, who sold it for a lot of money. It was evenso in a verry good condition.

This Delphin has no wear and tear at all, it looks new all the way... Only the canvas is decoloured.. No scratch can be found. I will take some pics tomorrow.

Last week there was a POUCH to buy for 75 Euro's. I was allready too late

[chrstjrn]

Are these all in Amsterdam?

[ChrisO]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the forum and groetjes uit Kalifornie!
There is a fair amount of info on your Delphin 85, however most of it in German:
http://www.faltbootbasteln.de/fbb-delphin85.html
http://typen.faltboot.org/f2103_var.php?ID=21
And on the maker MTW:
http://www.faltboot.org/wiki/index.php/MTW

What is it worth? I think between 500 and 850 Euro? Just based on German eBay and eBay Kleinanzeigen. Nice kayak indeed! Ribs look to be bent and laminated ash. Quality construction from the former East Germany (DDR).

BTW, Amsterdam is not in Belgium..., but in Nederland. The land of poffertjes, pannekoeken en hutspot, and of course ice sailing!

Doeg/Tschuess/Cheers

Chris(toph)

[DaveEurope]

That is correct. Amsterdam is in "Holland". I just came back from there. Went to get a canoe. Now i have enough boats here

[chrstjrn]

I knew that-- sorry for my mistake.

[DaveEurope]

No sorry's needed Well, it turns out the weather is verry bad, so i wont be able to take it out and photograph it, cause i wouldnt want it to be stored away wet i promise there will be other pics soon

[DaveEurope]

Well i have made some more pics and posted them on my photobucket thing. So all of you are welcome to check em out

http://s298.photobucket.com/user/davyro ... lphin%2085

[gbellware]

That is quite a find, and it is in amazing shape. Assume you know this, but in your pics of the assembled boat the skin is not fully installed in the combing. It goes inside the combing and then in the slot on top of the combing.

The hull looks new, and the details are pretty cool. Thanks for sharing,
g

[ChrisO]

Dave,

Those are great photo's of the frame! I particularly like the ribs (cross frames) with their small cross section thanks to the laminated construction. A bit like my Kette or T67.

Where do you paddle in Belgium? I have never paddled there (yet...). Hiking, yes (Haute Fagnes, Eupen to Malmedy).
Growing up in the Netherlands most of my boating was on the Loosdrechtse Plassen (inland lakes) and the smaller waterways around Utrecht.

Chris

[DaveEurope]

I paddle everywhere i can , from The Bulge (Ardennen) to the sea. Also on lakes,
and canals to train. In The Netherlands we go often to the BIESBOSCH, wich is a big natural park with lots of little streams and lakes, like a delta. It is verry beautifull there !
This year i went to South France too , went on Lac de St Croix , went to the dam and we afterwards did the canyon too, like 42 Kms in one day, no current. The day before we had allready done a lake wich was quite cool. in the rain

Next summer ill go kayak the sea in France. Do all the beaches of D day. That would be nice i guess

[DaveEurope]

That is quite a find, and it is in amazing shape. Assume you know this, but in your pics of the assembled boat the skin is not fully installed in the combing. It goes inside the combing and then in the slot on top of the combing.

The hull looks new, and the details are pretty cool. Thanks for sharing,
g

Thank you. Yes , i saw the fault i made, but it was just to check that i assembled the boat

I am going to sell it tho, i want to buy myself a new folding kayak. The only thing is, that we dont have much dealers here who sell them.