Hi all
looking at a Walker Bay 10 dinghy to use as a tender
Any experiences or thoughts would be appreciated
Regards Don
I have a Walkerbay 8 with the inflatable fender. It is a good light tough little dingy. With the fender it is very stable but with out the fender it is very unstable which is typical of most lightweight dingys. I don't know what the 10' dingy's stability is like, but I think it should be better then the 8'. The fender round the edge is worth its weight in gold. It makes the dingy more stable with the advantages of an inflatable. A 10' dingy is a big tender for a small boat, too big to put on the foredeck if need be in rough conditions. You don't really want to tow a light 10' dingy in bad conditions.
Hi Jode
Thanks for your thoughts
I have a 8 ft Savage Tern at the moment which is good for 2 people but a bit marginal and cramped for 3
There is one for sale for $400 and I thout it might be worthwhile going a bit bigger (but keeping the Tern) as the price seems reasonable
Regards Don
Select to expand quoteDonk107 said..
Hi Jode
Thanks for your thoughts
I have a 8 ft Savage Tern at the moment which is good for 2 people but a bit marginal and cramped for 3
There is one for sale for $400 and I thout it might be worthwhile going a bit bigger (but keeping the Tern) as the price seems reasonable
Regards Don
Sounds a good price especially if it has the fender. You can buy the fender as an accessory .
I love my Walker Bay 8 and I can just haul it up onto my foredeck but it is really only a one person dinghy. I think the fender collar could be an improvement.
I think the 10 would be too big for your Sailmaster.
Select to expand quotecisco said..
I love my Walker Bay 8 and I can just haul it up onto my foredeck but it is really only a one person dinghy. I think the fender collar could be an improvement.
I think the 10 would be too big for your Sailmaster.
The 10
I think if you did you would need to use the boom to lift it on the the cabin roof .
But Id say Donk will tow it maybe down to egg and bacon bay from time to time 
Always wondered if a carbon fiber dinghy could be made cheaply well you can dream
Hi all
Thanks for the information
If i bought the Walker Bay i would just use it here at Port Huon as a tender and a mess about boat with the 3hp Yamaha
I had a bit of a look the other day and although the Tern would fit on the foredeck ok i think that i might be a bit of a battle for myself and my wife to get it up there
I have a Hobie Kona kayak www.hobie.com/kayaks/kona/ as well that i toyed with the idea of trying to stick on the boat but i think it might be a bit long to fit without getting in the way
I didn't actually intend to buy another dinghy but the Walker Bay seems to be pretty reasonably priced for the size and would allow us to cart a extra person around
I actually thought about getting something like this inflatable kayak www.sevylor.com/Clear-Creek-2-Person-Kayak-P2209C41.aspx or this inflatable boat www.sevylor.com/Colossustrade-3-Person-Boat-P2019C40.aspx and leaving it permanently on the boat deflated and when we go away just leave the Tern on the mooring and use the inflatable to go ashore wherever we end up
Regards Don
Just about carrying the kayak, saw a photo of a yacht somewhere where they had made up a couple of very simple SS brackets, mounted them on the outside of the stanchions(not unlike those brackets that bolt to pushbikes for surfboards), freed up the side deck again.
I have had the one person Walker Bay kayak for four years and love it as my tender. It weighs 8.5 kilos which means I can carry it and my boat gear in one trip. It also fits in my Mazda 3 fully inflated although infllating it is only a five minute job. The two man version would work well as a tender also. Only one puncture in four years and all the gear for that supplied. I am a big fan.
I love my Walker Bay 10. I don't use it as a tender though, but for sailing. It is very stable on the water and easy to handle. I taught my kids to sail on it
Hi Donk,
I have a WB8, and if your by yourself mainly, I'd choose the 8 instead of 10.
Lighter and easier to handle.
We carry 2 adults, or 1 adult 2 kids plus gear and the outboard (Honda 2.5 4 stroke).
I usually row it instead of the outboard if by myself, they row ok although the ridges on centre seat can get sore on your a*se.
The rear wheel is probably too small, and I've replaced it with one from harder material after the first one wore away.
I've heard the WB sailing kit isn't worth it, but I have an old windsurfer rig I've always wanted to play with on the dingy.
In all, a tough dingy that suits what we need currently, I'd buy another tomorrow.
I also have a Walker Bay 8 and think it is great. I started out looking for a WB 10 but couldn't find one for a good price and bought the WB 8 thinking I would just give it a go and then upgrade later. But for all the reasons stated above, I now prefer the WB 8 - lighter, easier to manhandle and a good size for my 34' Jeanneau.
It is perfect for kids and can take 3 adults on a calm day. With two adults aboard, I sit one in the bow and row while seated on the stern seat. I find it rows very well with 7' oars and I have been for 2-3 km outings around Pittwater. The sail kit and inflatable collar would be nice to have but as a simple tender, it is fine.
The WB 10 is certainly a lot roomier and better if you have exposed water to cross or regular passengers. At $400 it would be a steal if it's in fair to good condition. The 'wheel in the keel' in the WB 10 is bigger and better engineered than the WB 8 wheel but the spare parts are available and they are both easily rebuilt.
A Walker Bay 10 for $400 is a good buy. I should add here that they are the most common boat stolen on this planet! Try to ascertain this boats history.
This is a timely topic for me. I have a WB8 which I haven't used apart from a quick test run when I got it a year ago. However, I will be using it when cruising Bass Strait next month.
I'm currently looking at how I can utilise my whisker pole (on the mast track) to deploy/retrieve the WB8 from the foredeck.
How do other people deploy/retrieve their dingy?
Any thoughts, advice, etc gratefully received.
regards,
Allan
I have a walker 8 great dinghy very rugged I can pull it up on rocks if needed handles all my tools and gear and it tows well behind the boat to . the only but is its a pain to get up on deck and it takes up a lot of space so I will be buying roll up inflatable for cruising soon
Select to expand quoteh28kurt said..
I have a walker 8 great dinghy very rugged I can pull it up on rocks if needed handles all my tools and gear and it tows well behind the boat to . the only but is its a pain to get up on deck and it takes up a lot of space so I will be buying roll up inflatable for cruising soon
Its dam hard on a H28 not quite enough room you sort have to make a Swiss knife, one item does more than one job Kurt
I have not got a stern photo of Eeros H28 of his davits I was about to ask him about before he left.
He had just sent me a a flow sensor for the engine intake .Sad business miss him
Im going to add a high volume air compressor for my Zodiac
This is how I store my home made (unsinkable) dinghy. Doesn't restrict the view aft too much, the painter on the dinghy bow is used to lower and raise it. Have to be careful when choppy because stern of boat can slam up and down a bit. It's also the ship's life raft.
hg how do you find the hard ply floor have u dismantled/assembled it on the fore deck or think its possible. Im not fitting davits to my h28 for now so im thinking a roll up with slat floors would work well
very sad to here about Eeros
Select to expand quoteh28kurt said..
hg how do you find the hard ply floor have u dismantled/assembled it on the fore deck or think its possible. Im not fitting davits to my h28 for now so im thinking a roll up with slat floors would work well
very sad to here about Eeros
Its still rolled up Kurt Ive far to many other things on the go 
Worst case scenario Ill buy a walker two man Kayak
Its not going on my cabin roof
I found this photo last night of Eero's H28 but it was before he fitted davits Kurt
By the look of it Eero's made a single post davit maybe out of heaver wall tube not much bigger in diameter than the stern rails and braced it off them also. And tucked the inflatable in close to the stern
they look good hg maybe if funds allow in the future ill get something similar. I had a quote for a stainless bow sprit last year and it shocked me 
I was just curious about the hard floor inflatables because I've been considering them but I think I would struggle setting it up on the deck
Select to expand quoteh28kurt said..
they look good hg maybe if funds allow in the future ill get something similar. I had a quote for a stainless bow sprit last year and it shocked me
I was just curious about the hard floor inflatables because I've been considering them but I think I would struggle setting it up on the deck
My lists been to large to unpack the zodiac yet Ill let you know but don't hold your breath. Works been busy so have not spent as much time on my old boat as Id like . I think Ive still at least one more weekend on the rudder maybe two see how tomorrow pans out when I remove the peal ply off its side.
If you were down here you could have taken it for a week or two
Ill be bending my own stainless this year some time
The club has Walker Bay dinghies as tenders and I use them often. Good for one person and can take 2. Any more and you will quickly sink. Better load carrying and cheaper options available if you need to ferry more than yourself and one other. Even then rowing can be slow going if the passenger sitting at the back is a bit on the heavy side. My cheaper punt nosed dinghy can easily handle myself, two passengers and gear and the outboard on the back.
Select to expand quoteh28kurt said..
they look good hg maybe if funds allow in the future ill get something similar. I had a quote for a stainless bow sprit last year and it shocked me
I was just curious about the hard floor inflatables because I've been considering them but I think I would struggle setting it up on the deck
found these photos in boat sales notice the davits Kurt
Two tubes bent to under 90 degrees ( you could get them bent as a exhaust place) and then each tube has two straight stainless tubes holding the outer end probably with clamps off the stern rails . I have a feeling Eeros boat Colombo may have had some thing similar
once the two tubes are bent find some one to weld the bases for mounting off the stern buy the base material and make your own then its just a Weld job
Your cant have blokes like Jode 5 Making to much money 
The plus with this boat hes fitted solar shade. Just the same you would have to see it to know if it looked ok
Select to expand quoteHG02 said..h28kurt said..
they look good hg maybe if funds allow in the future ill get something similar. I had a quote for a stainless bow sprit last year and it shocked me
I was just curious about the hard floor inflatables because I've been considering them but I think I would struggle setting it up on the deck
found these photos in boat sales notice the davits Kurt
Two tubes bent to under 90 degrees ( you could get them bent as a exhaust place) and then each tube has two straight stainless tubes holding the outer end probably with clamps off the stern rails . I have a feeling Eeros boat Colombo may have had some thing similar
once the two tubes are bent find some one to weld the bases for mounting off the stern buy the base material and make your own then its just a Weld job
Your cant have blokes like Jode 5 Making to much money
The plus with this boat hes fitted solar shade. Just the same you would have to see it to know if it looked ok
I need to make money to pay for my bad sailing habit.
Select to expand quoteJode5 said..
HG02 said..
h28kurt said..
they look good hg maybe if funds allow in the future ill get something similar. I had a quote for a stainless bow sprit last year and it shocked me
I was just curious about the hard floor inflatables because I've been considering them but I think I would struggle setting it up on the deck
found these photos in boat sales notice the davits Kurt
Two tubes bent to under 90 degrees ( you could get them bent as a exhaust place) and then each tube has two straight stainless tubes holding the outer end probably with clamps off the stern rails . I have a feeling Eeros boat Colombo may have had some thing similar
once the two tubes are bent find some one to weld the bases for mounting off the stern buy the base material and make your own then its just a Weld job
Your cant have blokes like Jode 5 Making to much money
The plus with this boat hes fitted solar shade. Just the same you would have to see it to know if it looked ok
I need to make money to pay for my bad sailing habit.
just thought Id give you a bump
MMM kurt maybe we could get a few ideas of Jode5 on , what to do with our davits on a small boats
Select to expand quoteGravy7 said..
It is perfect for kids and can take 3 adults on a calm day. With two adults aboard, I sit one in the bow and row while seated on the stern seat. I find it rows very well with 7' oars and I have been for 2-3 km outings around Pittwater. The sail kit and inflatable collar would be nice to have but as a simple tender, it is fine.
The WB 10 is certainly a lot roomier and better if you have exposed water to cross or regular passengers. At $400 it would be a steal if it's in fair to good condition. The 'wheel in the keel' in the WB 10 is bigger and better engineered than the WB 8 wheel but the spare parts are available and they are both easily rebuilt.
Hi Gravy7.
So you row from the stern pushing the oars when two up?? That would be a bit awkward wouldn't it??
I notice you do not have WB oars or rowlocks.
I have the WB oars which have captured rowlocks and clip on blades which when removed make them a lot easier to have in the car.
For rowing two or three up I have been considering adding pintles about where your hand is on the gunwale.
Yes the keel wheel on the 8 is not very useful except on hard surfaces. Mine broke into three pieces so I had a new one turned up from bearing plastic at a local machine shop for $20.
The wide flat bottom and low freeboard make them a bit unsafe in choppy waters but as a "work truck" in port it is great. Almost indestructible. Mine fits well on the fore deck of my Lotus 9.2 as I have no inner forestays and with the transom tied back against the mast base I still have adequate room to work on the foredeck and deploy the anchor.
I have had davits before and I think they are only useful on larger yachts. Fortunately I also have an Avon Redcrest for cruising. If I was cruising with 4 on board I think I would take the WB as well.
It shouldn't be too hard to rig up a lifting strop for use with whisker pole and halyard to get it on deck but they are light enough for two people to drag up on deck with a bit of co-ordination.
Try that whisker pole when your 85+ Cisco .
I'm building a boat to see me through as far as I can make it with the direct aim of user friendly .I don't need any body parts stuffed and to be hospitalized when I'm old later on mate.
And I'm hoping the boat will be used every day not weekends. its each to his or hers own needs and what the requirements are . Also when I'm gone females with be sailing on there own so it has to take that into account also not just me .
Much the same when I do a build up on a new Earth moving machine to the customers requirements and they can get very complicated.
Hi Donk107,
I have a 8ft Walker bay and as a lightweight tender it is hard to beat. The 10 ft would be better option as it would handle small outboard, one plus for mine is I can carry it to the water over the rocks.
The inflatable tube would be good as they are a bit skittish, easy to row mine has a sail kit but only used it once and didn't like it.
Cheers.
Hinton Bay
