Does anyone have a Walker Bay Dink?

Hi All,

Who has a Walker Bay as their dink? What do you like or dislike about it?

Dave

Dave_E said:

Hi All,

Who has a Walker Bay as their dink? What do you like or dislike about it?

Dave

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Hi Dave,


I got a Walker Bay 310 Genesis Deluxe Open RIB with my boat when I bought it. The RIB is now 8 years old. It has been mounted on the swim step on a SeaWise davit that entire time with no cover. It is starting to show its age but still holds air and works just fine. It is actually a very comfortable RIB with the double floor.


When we got it, it had a Honda 8hp 4-stroke motor with electric start and power tilt. Nice motor but it doesn't quite have enough power to get the RIB up on a plane. Currently using a Torqueedo electric outboard that is very nice.


My dink is heavier than some because of the double floor. At some point I may go to a small console RIB with a 20hp motor. I like the designs of the WB consoles that use the same hull as I have.

Dave_E said:

Hi All,

Who has a Walker Bay as their dink? What do you like or dislike about it?

Dave

Click to expand...

Is there a specific model you are referring to. I have a Generations 340, probably not the model you are interested in. It is only 3 years old but it appears to be equivalent in quality to my Avon.

I have the Supertender with a 15hp Honda and it’s a great boat. Only change, should have gotten the aluminum hull for beaching. Great boat. Hypalon.

Ours is a Walker Bay Genesis 310 FTDX, hypalon. We bought it new in 2009, and it has worked well enough.

The internal floor is comfortable, yet it's good to be able to remove most of those panels for periodic "deep" cleaning. The in-seat and bow storage is useful; we added a second seat so both positions are used, and both positions have in-seat storage.

The new motor is a Suzuki 15-hp 4-stroke, runs the dink like a scalded cat.

We keep it on a Jatco Trillogy mount while on the boat, in our case a cantilever mount (so we can walk between mothership and dink) on the swim platform which is also separately braced with its own struts to the transom. We have the boat on a trailer during the off-season... so I don't have issues with lifting outboards.

-Chris

I've got part of a Walker Bay Genesis. Decent enough boat.

I'd never buy another one from Walker Bay: http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/walker-bay-boats-39184.html

Bought a Walker Bay Generations last year with a 40hp Honda. Love the boat. Fishes real nice, comfortable and great quality. I did have the shiny top on the position light come off. Called Walker Bay and they sent me a new one. No complaints here.

I had a Genesis 310 hypalon with the console kit. The seams at the transom started coming apart first time I used it. Tried to return it to the dealer, but they would not take it back. After back and forth, got it fixed under warranty by an inflatable repair place. Not long after that, the boat was destroyed in a trailer accident.

Then I got a Zodiac Pro 470 with a console. A much better boat IMO.

ssobol said:

I had a Genesis 310 hypalon with the console kit. The seams at the transom started coming apart first time I used it. Tried to return it to the dealer, but they would not take it back. After back and forth, got it fixed under warranty by an inflatable repair place. Not long after that, the boat was destroyed in a trailer accident.

Then I got a Zodiac Pro 470 with a console. A much better boat IMO.

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Big difference between a 310 and a 470. It would be interesting to see a comparison between a Zodiac 310 console (if they made it).

dhays said:

Big difference between a 310 and a 470. It would be interesting to see a comparison between a Zodiac 310 console (if they made it).

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I was speaking more about how the two boats were constructed. The hard parts of the Zodiac were FG vs. plastic and the the Zodiac tubes were thermowelded not glued. Yes, the Zodiac tubes were not hypalon, but I had not problem with that.

PVC boats last 10 years. Hypalon boats last 20 years. I have owned zodiac and wont go back. Avon and Achilles have gone the distance. Time will tell with Walker bay.

Walker bay boats come in PVC and hypalon, make sure you buy hypalon.

I think the OP may be asking about the little plastic boats.