The Kolkhida was a second-generation seagoing hydrofoil (project 10391) for 120 passengers, designed by the Central Design Bureau for Hydrofoil Ships named after R. E. Alexeyev. A series of roughly forty vessels was built at the Poti Shipyard from 1980; many later operated in Greece under the name Flying Dolphin. [1][2]

Second generation

The Kolkhida replaced the Kometa (ship) class as a new generation of seagoing vessel: one hundred twenty passengers, a redesigned foil arrangement, and different requirements for seaworthiness and comfort. The series became one of the most prominent in the late Soviet hydrofoil fleet. [1] At a length of 34.5 metres, the vessel carried 120 passengers and six crew members; its operating speed was 35 knots, with a range of 250 miles without refuelling. [2]

Flying Dolphin

After the collapse of the USSR, a significant portion of the Kolkhida vessels went to the Greek market, where they operated on Aegean Sea routes under the Flying Dolphin brand. For inter-island transport in Greece, the Soviet hydrofoils proved a windfall: fast, roomy, and, importantly, affordable. [1]

Sources

  1. spkfleet.ru — The Kolkhida vessel (archive)
  2. fleetphoto.ru — Project 10390, Kolkhida type ("Water Transport" database) (archive)