Object of the Month – August 2026

20.08.2026 11:53 Uhr

Kolibri III Folding Kayak

Fittingly for the holiday season, our Object of the Month for August is the Kolibri III folding kayak. "Big Ships – Small Boats"—so ran the headline of the shipyard newspaper "Kompass" on 18 August 1989. Alongside ocean liners built for the world's seas, tens of thousands of folding kayaks were produced at the Mathias-Thesen-Werft in Wismar between 1954 and 1990 as part of consumer goods production. By 1988 alone, around 77,670 units had been manufactured, including 40,670 two-seater kayaks like this one. The most widespread were the models in the "Kolibri" series, which were renowned for their low weight, compact pack size, and extremely easy handling. The "Kolibri 3" remained in production for over two decades—partly outsourced to Otto Thiele KG, which was expropriated in 1972 and became the state-owned VEB Leipziger Faltbootbau.

The model pictured showcases a true curiosity of this Baltic Sea classic. Typically, red, blue, or green skins dominated the waterways. However, the bright yellow deck of this particular craft is a direct result of the East German economy of scarcity: because the standard colours were simply unavailable, manufacturers improvised with this vibrant yellow. This resulted in a rare variation of a boat type that continues to enjoy widespread popularity today, far beyond enthusiast circles.