I have an opportunity to buy an 8 ft. Walker Bay rower for a decent price. Has anyone had any experience with them, especially in the stability department. I don't feel like falling again out of the dog of a dinghy I'm using now...a bargain basement brand from (RIP) Boater's World on loan from a friend.
Any others CD'ers would like to recommend? I like the Puffin, but they're a little pricey.
Thanks,
Jim V
SV San Angelo
Walker Bay Experiences
Moderator: bobdugan
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jim ventrilio
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Jul 15th, '08, 13:54
- Location: 1979 Typhoon Hull 1631
S/V San Angelo
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Joe Myerson
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 11:22
- Location: s/v Creme Brulee, CD 25D, Hull #80, Squeteague Harbor, MA
Walker Bay 8
Jim,
I've had a Walker Bay 8-foot dinghy longer than I've owned my Cape Dory. It's generally been satisfactory, but the few times I've really loaded it with people (more than one additional) or stuff, I've been a bit worried about swamping.
On the plus side: It requires little maintenance, it has lasted six or seven years, and it doesn't mark up the topsides of my boat if I bring it right alongside. And, it was relatively cheap.
On the minus side: It doesn't take antifouling. Since I keep it tied to my club's dinghy dock, I end up having to scrape the garbage off the bottom every other week or so. (Several coats of wax before launch helps a bit.)
I have towed it, but it isn't great in that mode.
Hope this helps,
--Joe
I've had a Walker Bay 8-foot dinghy longer than I've owned my Cape Dory. It's generally been satisfactory, but the few times I've really loaded it with people (more than one additional) or stuff, I've been a bit worried about swamping.
On the plus side: It requires little maintenance, it has lasted six or seven years, and it doesn't mark up the topsides of my boat if I bring it right alongside. And, it was relatively cheap.
On the minus side: It doesn't take antifouling. Since I keep it tied to my club's dinghy dock, I end up having to scrape the garbage off the bottom every other week or so. (Several coats of wax before launch helps a bit.)
I have towed it, but it isn't great in that mode.
Hope this helps,
--Joe
Former Commodore, CDSOA
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
I Have One...
Just bought it a couple of months ago. This my first dinghy, so I don't really have anything to compare it to, but I haven't managed to fall out of it yet.
Our first trip with was sailing in the Santa Rosa Sound, Pensacola, Fl. We towed it more than 60 miles with no problem. It really made the difference in the trip.
<img width="350" src="http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh27 ... C01909.jpg">
<img width="350" src="http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh27 ... C01857.jpg">
Our first trip with was sailing in the Santa Rosa Sound, Pensacola, Fl. We towed it more than 60 miles with no problem. It really made the difference in the trip.
<img width="350" src="http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh27 ... C01909.jpg">
<img width="350" src="http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh27 ... C01857.jpg">
To clarify my origonal post a bit, the people I know who have been capsized in them were all alone in the boat when it happened, not overloaded, each was motoring as well (so no centerboard was in place). And all were full time cruisers who used their walker bays daily for years. So figure in how many trips they took, it is not suprising they went over at some point.
The problem comes down to with small boats you need small tenders, and any hard tender small enough is going to be tippy. And if you are planning to row, that makes inflatibles a nightmare. In this case a Walker Bay is a terrific low cost dinghy choice (more money might get you more attractive choices, not nessisarilly better ones though).
The problem comes down to with small boats you need small tenders, and any hard tender small enough is going to be tippy. And if you are planning to row, that makes inflatibles a nightmare. In this case a Walker Bay is a terrific low cost dinghy choice (more money might get you more attractive choices, not nessisarilly better ones though).
Russell
s/v (yet to be named) Tayana 42CC
s/v Lady Pauline Cape Dory 36 #117 (for sale)
s/v (yet to be named) Tayana 42CC
s/v Lady Pauline Cape Dory 36 #117 (for sale)
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Joe Myerson
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 11:22
- Location: s/v Creme Brulee, CD 25D, Hull #80, Squeteague Harbor, MA
Yes, it rows very well
Russell is right.
I do NOT have a motor for my dinghy, and the Walker Bay is very easy to row. I primarily bought it to get me from the dock to the mooring, and it's great at doing just that.
And, the price is right, and it's easy to drag out of the water and even lift onto my car (although that gets harder every year).
--Joe
I do NOT have a motor for my dinghy, and the Walker Bay is very easy to row. I primarily bought it to get me from the dock to the mooring, and it's great at doing just that.
And, the price is right, and it's easy to drag out of the water and even lift onto my car (although that gets harder every year).
--Joe
Former Commodore, CDSOA
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
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Sea Hunt
- Posts: 1310
- Joined: Jan 29th, '06, 23:14
- Location: Former caretaker of 1977 Cape Dory Typhoon Weekender (Hull #1400) "S/V Tadpole"
One of these days when I buy a sailboat that would actually require a dinghy, I would probably buy a Walker Bay. I have seen them at the Strictly Sail for the past several years. Anecdotally, I am told they are very stable with the addition of the tube. I believe I saw a promotional video of an adult male standing (possibly bouncing) on one side of the tube (port or starboard) and the dinghy hardly moved.
I have no actual experience with them, but it seems like it they are the best of both worlds - hard, slightly V shaped bottom for easier directional rowing and flotation tube for greater stability.
I do not have the brochure in front of me but my recollection is they are VERY expensive.
I have no actual experience with them, but it seems like it they are the best of both worlds - hard, slightly V shaped bottom for easier directional rowing and flotation tube for greater stability.
I do not have the brochure in front of me but my recollection is they are VERY expensive.
Fair winds,
Robert
Sea Hunt a/k/a "The Tadpole Sailor"
CDSOA #1097
Robert
Sea Hunt a/k/a "The Tadpole Sailor"
CDSOA #1097
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John Vigor
- Posts: 608
- Joined: Aug 27th, '06, 15:58
- Contact:
You're confusing them
No, Sea Hunt, they are not expensive. You must be confusing them with another dinghy. When I visited the Walker Bay factory a few years back, they were selling 8-footers for $399.
The Walker Bay 8 is injection molded from polypropylene plastic--the same stuff that's in 95 percent of today's car bumpers. It's light, it's cheap, and it's almost indestructible.
But how do you produce a quality boat for $399? The secret lies in the design of the boat, the manufacturing process, and the arrangements for shipping the finished product.
Walker Bay produces hundreds of dinghies at a time from a 6,000-ton press. Each one takes less than three minutes to complete.
The finished hulls nest like dories on an old Cape Cod schooner. Better, in fact. They nest so tidily that each new hull adds only two inches to the height of the stack, so you can fit 192 of them into a regular 18-wheeler truck, and 168 of them will fill a 40-foot sea container. That makes for cheap transportation.
The people at Walker Bay were aiming to make them the belly-button boat of the world -- everybody's got one. And it looks as if they're succeeding.
Incidentally, the main characters behind the dinghy are South African and they're named after a pretty bay on the coastline not far from from Cape Town.
John V.
The Walker Bay 8 is injection molded from polypropylene plastic--the same stuff that's in 95 percent of today's car bumpers. It's light, it's cheap, and it's almost indestructible.
But how do you produce a quality boat for $399? The secret lies in the design of the boat, the manufacturing process, and the arrangements for shipping the finished product.
Walker Bay produces hundreds of dinghies at a time from a 6,000-ton press. Each one takes less than three minutes to complete.
The finished hulls nest like dories on an old Cape Cod schooner. Better, in fact. They nest so tidily that each new hull adds only two inches to the height of the stack, so you can fit 192 of them into a regular 18-wheeler truck, and 168 of them will fill a 40-foot sea container. That makes for cheap transportation.
The people at Walker Bay were aiming to make them the belly-button boat of the world -- everybody's got one. And it looks as if they're succeeding.
Incidentally, the main characters behind the dinghy are South African and they're named after a pretty bay on the coastline not far from from Cape Town.
John V.
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seadog6532
- Posts: 211
- Joined: Sep 19th, '07, 14:34
- Location: last boat 31' C&C Corvette, 0wner of CD30k #112 Arianna.
We have a Walker Bay 8 with the sailing rig, and will be using it over this weekend for the first time. Arianna and crew will be sailing from the Dog River on Mobile Bay to Pensacola via the ICW. We plan on spending time at the Naval Base marina and also may stop at Big lagoon, Ingrams Bayou, Pirates Cove , or Wolfs Bay. We
'll let you know what we think of the dingy some time next week.
Mark and Anna of Arianna C30K #112
'll let you know what we think of the dingy some time next week.
Mark and Anna of Arianna C30K #112
Mark and Anna of Arianna CD30K #112
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Dick Barthel
- Posts: 901
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 10:29
- Location: Dream Weaver, CD25D, Noank, CT
great rowers
I have both the larger and the smaller. They both row magnificently. They are very tippy but so is a Sunfish...I have never have had any trouble that way. I think its how you use it. No you can't stand on the edge like an inflatable unless you want to go swimming. The larger with the RIB kit is pricey. I retrofitted mind since we use it as a tender. The ring keeps Dream Weaver from getting scarred and makes it very much more stable.
As for the smaller, at a Cape Dory float in, Clay Stalker and I were with Leo in his little guy motoring between boats. We had about 3 inches of topsides. I don't recommend that.
One down side is that paint does not stick to the bottom so if you want to keep it in the water you'll want to scrape periodically. The smaller is cheap and virtually indestructable. They are both also unsinkable. I wouldn't take either crusing. For that I have a roll up inflatable that I pull up to my stern rail, carry on deck, or have it stowed for easy inflation.
Dick
As for the smaller, at a Cape Dory float in, Clay Stalker and I were with Leo in his little guy motoring between boats. We had about 3 inches of topsides. I don't recommend that.
One down side is that paint does not stick to the bottom so if you want to keep it in the water you'll want to scrape periodically. The smaller is cheap and virtually indestructable. They are both also unsinkable. I wouldn't take either crusing. For that I have a roll up inflatable that I pull up to my stern rail, carry on deck, or have it stowed for easy inflation.
Dick
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Maine Sail
- Posts: 839
- Joined: Feb 8th, '06, 18:30
- Location: Canadian Sailcraft 36T
Like Ralph Nader said of
Like Ralph Nader said of the Corvair.... "Unsafe At Any Speed". I own one and use it maybe twice per year. They are flat out dangerous IMHO and this from a guy who paddles an 18' long by 22" wide sea kayak regularly..
Sorry to be so blunt but it almost drowned my friends toddler when it tipped over about 40 yard from shore. Lucky for him he had his life jacket on..
Sorry to be so blunt but it almost drowned my friends toddler when it tipped over about 40 yard from shore. Lucky for him he had his life jacket on..
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Joe CD MS 300
- Posts: 995
- Joined: Jul 5th, '05, 16:18
- Location: Cape Dory Motor Sailor 300 / "Quest" / Linekin Bay - Boothbay Harbor
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Sea Hunt
- Posts: 1310
- Joined: Jan 29th, '06, 23:14
- Location: Former caretaker of 1977 Cape Dory Typhoon Weekender (Hull #1400) "S/V Tadpole"
I am reluctant to disagree with you, Mr. Vigor. Perhaps we have different budget allowances.
I could not find my sailboat show materials and pricing for Walker Bay boats so I went "online" to check prices.
New, most dealers were selling the rigid 8' dinghy for $720-$800. If you want to add the "tube" for greater stability, etc., the PVC version (the cheaper of the two models offered) cost about $800-$850.
Combined, purchase price is about $1,500 to $1,600. On my small retirement pension, that is expensive.
Again, I have never actually been on/in one but the videos I have seen suggest the dinghy with the stability tube is safe and rows well.
I will look at them much more closely in February 2010 at Strictly Sail Miami.
Heavy rains expected most of the day throughout South Florida. No sailing
I could not find my sailboat show materials and pricing for Walker Bay boats so I went "online" to check prices.
New, most dealers were selling the rigid 8' dinghy for $720-$800. If you want to add the "tube" for greater stability, etc., the PVC version (the cheaper of the two models offered) cost about $800-$850.
Combined, purchase price is about $1,500 to $1,600. On my small retirement pension, that is expensive.
Again, I have never actually been on/in one but the videos I have seen suggest the dinghy with the stability tube is safe and rows well.
I will look at them much more closely in February 2010 at Strictly Sail Miami.
Heavy rains expected most of the day throughout South Florida. No sailing
Fair winds,
Robert
Sea Hunt a/k/a "The Tadpole Sailor"
CDSOA #1097
Robert
Sea Hunt a/k/a "The Tadpole Sailor"
CDSOA #1097
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gates_cliff
- Posts: 463
- Joined: Sep 3rd, '08, 13:23
- Location: CD 27, "Katie Girl", Galesville, MD
Walker Bay Dinghy
I have one, used it several times. I do agree it is very tender, once I flipped myself out because I readjusted where I was sitting, went too far to one side. So, I would be very hesitant about using it to move people or anything valuable. However, I am intrigued with the collar attachment. If it will indeed improve stability, it might well be worth it.
There is one on the dinghy rack at the marina where I'm located, I think I'll find out who the owner is and talk to him/her.
There is one on the dinghy rack at the marina where I'm located, I think I'll find out who the owner is and talk to him/her.