Walker Bay 8

[brians]

Considering one of the above for use as a tender in Chichester harbour. Need to travel fair distance and be able to cope with wash of mobos etc.

Is it good and stable? It looks the part.

 

[fireball]

We've got the WB10 .. can take 3 adults (just!) and kit with a 2hp on the back. It isn't as stable as it looks and we're seriously considering getting the RID kit (inflatable tube to go round the gunwhale). Having said that, we don't have any problems with it and it is certainly though enough to be thrown around like we do. Mind you - we don't get too many mobos just wind against tide ....

 

[fastjedi]

Bought a S/H Walker Bay 8 with 'performance' sail kit in July. Very pleased ..... tough, good quality fittings, more stable than our previous GRP pram dinghy. Love the low maintenace aspect (have enough trouble trying to keep up with big boat maintenace!) We use it with a Honda 2.3hp .... Three people is O.K, wouldn't try it in rough water though! Only drawbacks are ..... It is almost impossible to get in after a capsize while sailing (RID would help). It holds a big volume of water and capizes again as soon as you jump onto the gunwhale. + It is imported by Barrus who charge unbelievable £££ for spares

 

[paulrossall]

From what I have seen the most stable and best designed tender is a Bonwitco. The shape at the stern in particular makes then very stable. Alternatively I think that the Walker with the RID kit might be second best.

 

[Gin]

My TEPCO 8' easily takes three in a chop and four in flat water plus some kit. I can even sit on the floorboards to steer if I forget the tiller extension, and I am alone. This also keeps my CG at water level and enhances stability

 

[geoffatstanpit]

A friend has one. Good dinghy but the little wheel at the back isn't up to "a fair distance" on road surfaces and is too small for sand.

Geoff

 

[nigelhudson]

I bought an "8" this year as a learn to row and sail tool for my 10yr old. Also with a view to using it as a towable tender instead of the inflatable. In the first role it is admirable for use in sheltered water. However for the second role I have reservations because I think it is too small. If you use an outboard you cannot have a lone adult aboard steering from the normal position - it puts far too much weight aft and the boat is close to foundering. When single-handing you have to sit on the centre thwart and steer - if you don't have a tiller extension it means you have to sit facing aft!
Tenders take a range of different loads which cannot always be well-distributed so I suggest that you try the "10" to see if it is more stable.

 

[MonArk]

We have an 8 as a tennder with the RID tube. We think its great. We put in 2 large adults and two teenagers without a problem plus Mariner 3.3hp. We have the recreational sail kit which is OK but the loose foot is a bit of a pain - I wish we had gone for the "performance" rig. For a boat that literally does everything it does them all well enough.

We use our home made version of snap davits to hoist it side on to the bathing platform - I can do that on my own so the weight is not really a problem.