cisco said...GetaLife said...
Since sold the Walker Bay, found it to unstable and a poor load carrier for the shore trips.
Cheers Dusty
Quite surprised to hear you say that. I have a WB8 myself and though my use of it has not been much so far, the use I have had from it has been eminently good.
As a hard utility dinghy for use when the yacht is "in port" for extended periods I have found it ideal as long as one has a way of preventing it from being stolen.
I have to admit though, one of them hanging off the stern of an S&S34, UFO34 or a Carter 33 detracts from the beauty of the parent yacht without even thinking about performance.
When cruising with these calibres of yacht, I believe the only way to go is a suitable Zodiac or Avon inflatable stowed in the cockpit locker when anticipated use of the tender is not expected within the next 48 hours.
The very best inflatable dinghy I have ever owned or used is the Avon Redcrest. It is the only inflatable that I KNOW can be successfully rowed with 3 people aboard.
Every other inflatable dinghy I have ever used without a motor I have found to be very successful "unrigged down wind sailing vessels".
Damned dangerous in my opinion.
Cisko,
A couple of years ago there was about five Walker Bays in the Cruising Yacht club, now there are Two and these have had the extra bouyancy skirts fitted to them, which makes them more expensive than the most expensive inflatable on the market?
Over our sailing career we have had a catamaran type tender, a pram type, a Archillies inflatable (pump up keel), Walker Bay, Zodiac Zoom and currently a Aaron inflatable with pump up keel.
The catamaran style is about as useful as an ash tray on a motor bike, closely followed by the Walker Bay. For a hard tender the pram type takes sum beating but not a great rower and quite wet in a chop. The inflatables with a keel are miles in front on all accounts, except for areas with lots of oysters or coral.
As for carrying it on davits, I am not racing with it in place, I am there for cruising and comfort. Pretty picture, performance, versus practicallity?
Our cruising ground is the souther regions of Tasmania, good anchorages are found in abundance within short sailing distances. When cruising in company with the cruising yacht club, the order of the day is usually a BBQ each evening ashore or a BBQ at lunch time with an fossick around the area, hence the convenience of the davits. Although these days most yachts seem to prefer towing the tender behind, something I have had trouble coming to terms with, but in ideal conditions I now follow this practice.
I found that if we were ashore and the weather decided to take a turn forthe worse and the anchorage began to chop up, the Walker Bay was decidedly scarey
with little freeboard and poor stability. The inflatables, powered by (in our case, a Honda 2hp) being more stable and safer.
As you have stated, in extreme conditions or sailing further offshore, we do pack the inflatable up and stow it.
Of course these are only my opinions and observations over the years, we each have to make up our own mind on the practicality and ease of use for the conditions we use them in.
Cheers
Dusty
