Folbot Sportabout
Description
Introduced around 1972 amid Folbot's expansion under founder William Dellenbaugh, the Sportabout targeted the growing "sport" market—hence the name—bridging rigid kayaks' accessibility with folders' portability. It evolved from earlier models like the Aleut (solo-focused) by adding tandem versatility, using battle-tested aluminum frames inspired by WWII "folbots" (folding reconnaissance boats). The design prioritized durability: skins lasted decades with care, and the lifetime frame warranty-built trust. Folbot's South Carolina factory produced thousands before the 2016 hiatus, during which the Sportabout became a collector's item. The 2024 relaunch focuses on updated fabrics, but enthusiasts restore originals via community hacks, like swapping to modern PVC skins for longevity.
The standard boat dimensions
| i | - |
|---|---|
| j | - |
| p | - |
| e | - |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 13.5 ft - (4115 mm) |
| Foot | 7.83 ft - (2387 mm) |
| Leech | * 15.19 ft - (4630 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 15.37 ft - (4685 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area | * 54.57 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 12 ft - (3658 mm) |
| Foot | 6.75 ft - (2057 mm) |
| Leech | 10.92 ft - (3328 mm) |
| Length Perpendicular | 6.08 ft - (1853 mm) |
| Area | * 36.49 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.