Walker Bay Ribs - UK dealer?

[PEJ]

In a thread on tenders JFM of this parish recommended the walker bay genesis 310 console rib and went on to say...

WB genesis is the RIB I had a few years ago on a sq58, Hurricane had it till recently, and Whitelighter now has....


As regular readers may know my current boat is Hurricane's old one so that is good enough for me - I want one.

Anyone know where you can get hold of one in the UK?

 

[CharlieAlpha]

Hi PEJ I'm just about to take delivery of my WB 325STX. I've had excellent service from Dan at http://www.boatsmart.co.uk/ they are based in Eastlands Boat yard in Swanwick

 

[RogerRat]

Hiya
I think you'll find that Hurricane's old Walker Bay which Jez has now is a 340 with console and a 40 Hp Yamaha.

I found the the 310 a little too small for the console.
I bought my 270 (which is large for 270 - 4 persons ok) from
Pacer Marine in Farnham that have now moved to Aldershot.

Speak to Dennis or his son, good guys and always helpful.

The Walker bay hull is great and with plenty of volume, very stable, you can step on the side even on the 270 as it has a variation on a cathedral hull.

Hope that's of help,

RR

 

[PEJ]

Hi PEJ I'm just about to take delivery of my WB 325STX. I've had excellent service from Dan at http://www.boatsmart.co.uk/ they are based in Eastlands Boat yard in Swanwick

Thanks CA,

I think I will pop in there on Saturday since they are nearby to me. I am trying to get my head around the different models in the range, seeing them is sure to help. Is yours the "supertender" version?

 

[PEJ]

Hiya
I think you'll find that Hurricane's old Walker Bay which Jez has now is a 340 with console and a 40 Hp Yamaha.

I found the the 310 a little too small for the console.
I bought my 270 (which is large for 270 - 4 persons ok) from
Pacer Marine in Farnham that have now moved to Aldershot.

Speak to Dennis or his son, good guys and always helpful.

The Walker bay hull is great and with plenty of volume, very stable, you can step on the side even on the 270 as it has a variation on a cathedral hull.

Hope that's of help,

RR

Roger,

Thanks for that. I was wondering what would be the right size to fit on my bathing platform - now I know

 

[Whitelighter]

Hurricane's WB was indeed the 340.

A nice boat, though comparatively heavy (especially with a 40 on the back).

 

[CharlieAlpha]

Thanks CA,

I think I will pop in there on Saturday since they are nearby to me. I am trying to get my head around the different models in the range, seeing them is sure to help. Is yours the "supertender" version?

Yes STX325 + 20hp Suzuki to keep weight down although it will take a 30, it might even be still be in the workshop as just waiting for cover and last bits to be fitted. Suggest you give them a call first as not always in the workshop on a Saturday. Happy to let you have a go in it when it delivered in the next week or so it will be in Gosport.

 

[Hurricane]

Just to add my three penny worth.

We didn't actually have the Walker Bay on the T51
In those days she had an Avon Jetski.
I think the Avon Jetski is about 280 kgs whereas a good WB should weigh in at around 210 kgs
That means that your passerelle should handle the weight of a 340 WB with a big engine.
Indeed, there is a T52 out here in SC that has done just that - a 340 WB with a 40HP engine and I didn't see him have any problems lifting with his passerelle.
From memory, there is a slide rail on the Sealine's passerelle which you will need to keep lightly lubricated so that the dinghy will slide in and out.

Incidentally, I would always fit a conventional RIB (like the WB) over a Jetski.
I've had both and apart from cost (probably less than a third for the WB), in my experience, an outboard boat is more reliable and much easier to service.
Also remember that if it really comes to it, you can simply swap the outboard.

Tenders are always a compromise.
You want something that is fast
Powerful enough to tow toys
Powerful enough to waterski behind
But still light enough to drag up a beach
And then dry enough to go out to dinner or collect the shopping.
And the still carry lots of people.
The WB does most of these things

I fitted a cheap echo sounder to ours which is really useful out in the islands when we wanted to see if we can get JW anchored nearer in.
A cheap VHF radio is good as well - don't rely on using a hand held - it will never be on the dinghy when you most need it.
It is really just to shout instructions to the kids - I know they won't listen but it makes you feel as though you are in charge!!

Yam vs Suzuki
It has to be a short shaft engine for the WB.
Personally, I would stick to Yamaha.
Ours (now Whitelighter's) is 8/9 years old and still going strong.
All I did was regular oil changes (any local engineer will do that for you) and regularly squirt lots of WD40 over all the moving parts inside the engine cowl.
One more important think.
One of my main reasons for buying the Yam was that it is dead easy to flush it with fresh water.
I work on the rule that if it is difficult to do, it often won't get dome.
I don't know the Suzuki but all Yamahas have a simple unscrew fitting where you attach a hose - and its job done.

On the subject of weight.
Yes, the Yamaha (and probably to a lesser extent) the Suzuki makes the WB very stern heavy.
So we fitted "Dolphins" to ours that make a huge difference to the performance.
With a single person on board, the dinghy bow points up at an alarming angle as she climbs out of the hole - once on the plane she levels down a bit - the fins help a lot with this.
Two people on board (one on the bow) and it is much better.
And, remember a dinghy like this will take 4 big adults - and still plane.

You also asked me in a PM what else you need.
I will answer the PM more fully but while I'm thinking about it in this thread, some water skis and tow rope would be worth putting onto the T51 before shipping.
Likewise, wake boards, but I find them harder to store than conventional skis.
Also some inflatable toys are always fun.
You will have to do those kinds of things away from the anchorages in places like Cala Mongrago but there will be plenty of space in Es Trenc if you anchor a bit further out.
Take care with ringos, we injured my daughter's back with one a couple of years ago - took months for her to completely recover.
Having said that, she has said that it was because we were towing her with the Jetski - the WB was much safer - her view.

I'll dig some pics out and add them to this post later.

EDIT - here they are

RogerRat - remember this?

These are the fins

And this shows our balance point - might be helpful

And a couple of video clips showing the WB and the kids waterskiing.

 

[PEJ]

Take care with ringos, we injured my daughter's back with one a couple of years ago - took months for her to completely recover.
Having said that, she has said that it was because we were towing her with the Jetski - the WB was much safer - her view.

Thanks for your post Mike, great info.

On the subject of what to tow behind it, I saw on a thread somewhere - one of yours, I think - a thing like a sofa. I went on a big version of one on holiday and it was great fun but what I liked about the one I saw on here was that you could also just tie it to the mother ship at anchor and laze around on it in the sea. That is my kind of toy!

 

[jfm]

Walker bay with 40 yam is very nice. Comes with power trim too

I bought mine from a dealer up north but there are plenty. Barrus is main uk importer

The sofa is a jobe lunar. Very nice toy. Need to get a bravo inflator too. Comes in 2,3,4 seater. Mine is the 3 and is quite big to store so I'd suggest think twice before buying the 4 version. shown in lounging mode at 1:10 in this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KmhwfO-U0Js
And at speed in 2:00 onwards in this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OW0Ufh-J1gQ

 

[Nick_H]

PEJ, I think there's a question mark over the Yam 40 if you intend to pull two adults on a Jobe Binar. It was well discussed in this thread about a year ago.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...-berthed-in-Lymington-Marina&highlight=suzuki

I have the Suzuki, admittedly a 50 not a 40, but it's basically the same engine so the low end torque should be similar on the 40. It's a great engine, very smooth and powerful, and pulls the Binar no problem, plus adult water skiers and wakeboarders. I would definitely buy one again over the Yamaha. Servicing is also easier on the Suzuki.

edit: on the face of it there's a 6 kg weight penalty for the Suzi, but Yam seem to only list the weight of the lightest version, so a power trim model may be similar weight.

 

[jfm]

PEJ, I think there's a question mark over the Yam 40 if you intend to pull two adults on a Jobe Binar. It was well discussed in this thread about a year ago.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...-berthed-in-Lymington-Marina&highlight=suzuki

I have the Suzuki, admittedly a 50 not a 40, but it's basically the same engine so the low end torque should be similar on the 40. It's a great engine, very smooth and powerful, and pulls the Binar no problem, plus adult water skiers and wakeboarders. I would definitely buy one again over the Yamaha. Servicing is also easier on the Suzuki.

edit: on the face of it there's a 6 kg weight penalty for the Suzi, but Yam seem to only list the weight of the lightest version, so a power trim model may be similar weight.

Yep the yam 40 lacks torque at low rpm. More of a problem for w/skiing than towing a sofa because sofa doesn't have to get out of a hole ( though the tow boat does!). But there again the walker bay needs a short shaftt and I think yam is the only short shaft 30 or 40 with power trim. I think Suzuki have abandoned the (tiny) short shaft market completely at this hp level. Compromises compromises!

 

[Nick_H]

.. there again the walker bay needs a short shaftt and I think yam is the only short shaft 30 or 40 with power trim. I think Suzuki have abandoned the (tiny) short shaft market completely at this hp level. Compromises compromises!

Ah right, didn't realise Suzuki don't do a short shaft version of the 40.

 

[PEJ]

Yes STX325 + 20hp Suzuki to keep weight down although it will take a 30, it might even be still be in the workshop as just waiting for cover and last bits to be fitted. Suggest you give them a call first as not always in the workshop on a Saturday. Happy to let you have a go in it when it delivered in the next week or so it will be in Gosport.

Thanks again for this CA.

I went down on Saturday and saw Dan. Your boat was there and it looked very nice. Dan explained all the different options and I think I finally got my head around them. I think I will go for the same as you for the boat.

 

[PEJ]

Yep the yam 40 lacks torque at low rpm. More of a problem for w/skiing than towing a sofa because sofa doesn't have to get out of a hole ( though the tow boat does!). But there again the walker bay needs a short shaftt and I think yam is the only short shaft 30 or 40 with power trim. I think Suzuki have abandoned the (tiny) short shaft market completely at this hp level. Compromises compromises!

Thanks for your input John and Nick.

Having pretty much made my mind up on the boat, the outboard is a whole new ball game! It can only take a short shaft so that takes out certain makes and certain HP ratings. More HP = more weight so will I want to drag it ashore or will I want to pull water skiers? Like you say comprises compromises!

I dont think anyone in my crew will want to water ski and I don't think I'll be pulling up too many beaches. I know they will want to go on the sofa so I think a Suzuki 30.

 

[Hurricane]

Oh - The Sofa
We use ours for lots of things

It keeps the crew alert and ready for anything.

Ours is a 4 person one

Another little trick
We trail ours out the back as soon as we anchor.
Probably a bit selfish but it keeps other boats away.

Only towed it a few times - from the Walker Bay with the Yam 40
No problems as long as I took care.
We towed it into the Blue Caves in Cabrera.

 

[PEJ]

Thanks for the pics, Mike.

I can see why you got the four seat version. 3 spaces for the humans and 1 for the penguin, of course!