Dingy - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
  Dingy

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Dingy

mkelly posted 05-26-2014 09:11 PM ET (US)
A bit outside our Whaler discussions, but I need a good dingy to get to the buoy to retrieve my 19' Outrage. I have a very nice 9' fiberglass bottom inflatable, but we're replacing a leaking very tipsy 10' aluminum. My boating partner isn't a great fan of inflatables but has anyone experience with the Walker Bay Rigid Inflatable 275? I'm looking for the lightest rigid bottom with max stabilization....the aluminum's are great for weight but are too tipsy. Any other ideas appreciated.....
Dave Sutton posted 05-27-2014 09:19 AM ET (US)
The Walker Bay rigid plastic dingy with the optional inflatable collar is both lightweight and very stable. The collar can be removed if desired, but acts as a very good bumper as well as a stability augmentation device. I can't think of a better tender for that use. I've seen many used as tenders on larger boats during my cruising down south (although true inflatables and RIBs outnumber them by a very large margin)
Interesting thread, as I'm just buying a tender myself to get to and from my 25 Frontier that will be living on a mooring in Milwaukee, and the Walker Bay has risen to the top of my list. Stick the wheel kit on the transom for dragging it on the dingy dock and enjoy. That's my plan.

Dave
.
mkelly posted 05-27-2014 06:20 PM ET (US)
Dave, my concern & reason for writing the post was a photo I saw of the Walker....it appeared the tube system is installed significantly above the waterline & possibly defeats the purpose of have the "inflatable" portion of the dingy on the perimeter & in the water providing stability. It seems it would tip a bit with people shifting to dismount, working to get the mooring lines, etc. My standard inflatable is great for that but we want something lighter.
Dave Sutton posted 05-27-2014 08:37 PM ET (US)
being a student of dingies (when you cruise for many months using a dingy 2-5 times a day, and look at literally 100's of others at dingy docks from Rhode Island to Key West you get to see them all), I think the Walker Bay is a good one.
The lighest dingies are the high pressure inflatable floor ones. The heaviest are the rigid bottom inflatables. In between you have the traditional wood or aluminum floor inflatables and the rigid dinks.
The Walker Bay is a rigid dink, one of the lightest ones available. With wheels it's easy to manage on the dock, and they rwo fairly well. The inflatable collar is to provide additional flotation and stability, not to provide the main source of flotation. They are a LOT easier to board than the small rigid dinks without such a collar. Bear in mind that it's not a true inflatable. It's a rigid boat with an optional inflation collar.

Dave
.

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Dingy
mkelly	posted 05-26-2014 09:11 PM ET (US) A bit outside our Whaler discussions, but I need a good dingy to get to the buoy to retrieve my 19' Outrage. I have a very nice 9' fiberglass bottom inflatable, but we're replacing a leaking very tipsy 10' aluminum. My boating partner isn't a great fan of inflatables but has anyone experience with the Walker Bay Rigid Inflatable 275? I'm looking for the lightest rigid bottom with max stabilization....the aluminum's are great for weight but are too tipsy. Any other ideas appreciated.....
Dave Sutton	posted 05-27-2014 09:19 AM ET (US) The Walker Bay rigid plastic dingy with the optional inflatable collar is both lightweight and very stable. The collar can be removed if desired, but acts as a very good bumper as well as a stability augmentation device. I can't think of a better tender for that use. I've seen many used as tenders on larger boats during my cruising down south (although true inflatables and RIBs outnumber them by a very large margin) Interesting thread, as I'm just buying a tender myself to get to and from my 25 Frontier that will be living on a mooring in Milwaukee, and the Walker Bay has risen to the top of my list. Stick the wheel kit on the transom for dragging it on the dingy dock and enjoy. That's my plan. Dave .
mkelly	posted 05-27-2014 06:20 PM ET (US) Dave, my concern & reason for writing the post was a photo I saw of the Walker....it appeared the tube system is installed significantly above the waterline & possibly defeats the purpose of have the "inflatable" portion of the dingy on the perimeter & in the water providing stability. It seems it would tip a bit with people shifting to dismount, working to get the mooring lines, etc. My standard inflatable is great for that but we want something lighter.
Dave Sutton	posted 05-27-2014 08:37 PM ET (US) being a student of dingies (when you cruise for many months using a dingy 2-5 times a day, and look at literally 100's of others at dingy docks from Rhode Island to Key West you get to see them all), I think the Walker Bay is a good one. The lighest dingies are the high pressure inflatable floor ones. The heaviest are the rigid bottom inflatables. In between you have the traditional wood or aluminum floor inflatables and the rigid dinks. The Walker Bay is a rigid dink, one of the lightest ones available. With wheels it's easy to manage on the dock, and they rwo fairly well. The inflatable collar is to provide additional flotation and stability, not to provide the main source of flotation. They are a LOT easier to board than the small rigid dinks without such a collar. Bear in mind that it's not a true inflatable. It's a rigid boat with an optional inflation collar. Dave .