Walker Bay 10?

[Gary A]

I have searched the archives and found a few very interesting discussions about the Walker Bay 8. Like many of you who wrote about the Walker Bay 8, I don't like the limited capacity. I would prefer a dinghy able to handle 3 or 4 normal adults.I really like the looks of the Walker Bay 8, as well as the bomb-proof nature of the material. But ...I just got my new Boat US catalog and see that Walker Bay now makes a 10' model. Is this the answer to my dilemma? Has anyone had any experience with this boat? Can I get away with hanging one of these from davits on a Hunter 34? Will it handle my Nissan 3.5 hp?Thanks in advance for your expert advice. Gary

 

[Justin - O'day Owners' Web]

Walker Bay thoughts -

Gary,I have not yet actually used a WB10, but I do have a WB8 and I have seen the promotional materials for the 10. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like the 10 is an very similar desing to the 8, so some things should be similar. First, I wouldn't expect to be comfortable with three or four people in the 10. No doubt it could be done, but I'd bet it feels right with two. I am pretty trim and my girlfriend is very petite - we make the 8 feel really cramped. I don't bother trying to put two full - sized people into it. I find that because it is so light, the Walker Bay is very tender. It does have a lot of reserve stability because of the shape of the hull but its not comfortable, especially for people who aren't familiar with it and haven't learned that it really isn't going to turn over. The hull doesn't plane, so under power its slow. The 10 will be faster than the 8, but still pretty pottering. I usually row mine, so it doesn't bother me, but I did have to learn to relax because stroking harder wasn't going to get it going any faster. They are pretty durable, though, and inspite of their initial tenderness very stable. I love mine and I'd buy another - it just isn't great for more than two or under power.YMMV,Justin - O'day Owners' Web

 

[Steve Dion]

Go with an inflatable.

Gary:I think I'd go with an inflatable and a little larger motor.I think that Justin hit the nail. Hard dinks are not very stable. Getting two people to balance them is one thing. Trying to get four people is another.One of the better inflatables (hypalon- Achilles, Avon, Caribe, AB etc) with an inflatable floor gives you stability and room for four people and some gear too. I have a RIB and would not recommend them unless you are in an area with protected waters. They will also last just as long and can be repaired. Hypalon is also abrasion resistant. Stay away from PVC brands. If you get petrolum products on them they get sticky and if you have an animal, their claws will abrade the material. I am not sure about repairing ABS which is what the Walker Bays are made of (I think). Once you hole one of these I am not sure how they can be repaired.

 

[Tom M.]

FWIW...

We were looking REAL hard at a Walker Bay 8. But after experiencing/observing some othersmall hard dinghys owned by freinds we, specially the admiral, decided that a small hard dinghy was WAY to tender (read: a couple of swimming incidences both experienced and observed) so after reading many posts here on the subject, and with budget in mind we settled on a SeaEagle 9.6 inflatable, very nice boat for the money, very stable, hard/ridgid plastic floor you can jump up and down on, and with reasonable care should be just fine for many years. We are on a fresh water lake. Check out www.seaeagle.comGood luck.Tom M.