Association Forum - New Dinghy

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

New Dinghy - lessons learned

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Turk
Admiral

Member Avatar

USA
736 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/29/2006 : 02:43:32

I recently gave up my 12 year old Seaworthy dinghy for a Walkerbay 8 foot model. Got a nice deal at West marine on their "demo" and all was well. I figured the simplicity of the WB and rowing out to the mooring instead of fighting with the old 2 stroke would simplify my life.

Well, not so. I found out that an 8 foot WB handles 2 people at a time which means taking the crew out for Monday night racing means 2 trips out and 2 trips back. That's a lot of rowing and I suddenly developed a back problem with the doc saying "What were you thinking. Don't you know why most health clubs got rid of rowing machines years ago?" Yea, yea, I didn't realize till it was too late. I had just spent the last 6 months recouperating from a serious injury to my upper back, and well, I am now starting all over again.

So what do I do? Well, I started looking for a new inflatable, but after the embarassment of getting rid of a perfectly good one earlier, I needed to find a very nice deal to bring back some sort of self respect and to avenge the dirty looks from the first mate. I found one and ordered it. I am impressed. I did a lot of research and found a company called Affordable Inflatables on Ebay. The dinghy arrived today and it is all they said it was and more. I bought an 11 foot model with air floor. Did I say I'm impressed. Came with pump, carry bag, oars (that I will never use) and even a dock rope. 17" tubes are much larger than my old seaworthy and the curved up nose allows my 2.2 merc to push it at twice the speed as the old Seaworthy. Cost? $610.00 I purchased using a "make me an offer" auction he holds once in a while. Shipping was $99 with $9 insurance. Got to Ohio from California in 7 days (don't accept the $40 priority shipping, they will ship the same day anyway!)

The 11 footers seem to go a little cheaper than the 8's and 9's and the extra room is wonderfull. Room for 5 people, and one trip out to the boat. If the motor fails me, others can row!

After motoring around in the bay this afternoon, I realized I really missed the stability of the inflatable. I was warned by my fellow sailors about the WB purchase. Once inflatable always inflatable. Well, I'm back. Any one want to buy a Walkerbay, cheap?

Turk

www.turk.mysailboatblog.com
2003 C250 WK #663
Northeast Ohio
Mosquito Lake/Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2006 : 10:18:23

Hey Turk,
Does your dingy look something like this, but maybe a little longer?
I got mine over a year ago from the same people. It's still holding up very good. I got the 8.6 footer. Very stable and I love the air floor. (picture is without the seat)

Edited by - on

Turk
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2006 : 14:12:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tompotter
 Hey Turk,
Does your dingy look something like this, but maybe a little longer?
I got mine over a year ago from the same people. It's still holding up very good. I got the 8.6 footer. Very stable and I love the air floor. (picture is without the seat)

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's it my friend but just a little longer. Glad to hear it is holding up. This is the same boat that sells under the name Auquastar and Saturn name except that it sells for a much lower price. This guy has quite a store/business importing these in. I can't get over the high quality of the dinghy.

Edited by - Turk on 06/29/2006 14:14:56

Turk
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2006 : 14:58:32

Ah, here she is in action!

Edited by - on

Designwiz
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
59 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2006 : 15:55:13

Hi:
I also am as a Walker Bay (10 foot) convert gone back to what I had before. After tipping it once and seeing how tippy this style of dingy is

Edited by - Designwiz on 06/29/2006 15:57:26

Turk
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2006 : 16:40:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Designwiz
 Hi:
I also am as a Walker Bay (10 foot) convert gone back to what I had before. After tipping it once and seeing how tippy this style of dingy is

I went back to my old brand of dink. My old retired and newly repurchased dingy is a flat bottom, squared off bow Water Tender 9.4. Not the best towing but certainly alot more stable than the WB. Now selling the WB to recoup at least some of my money. Will do an inflatable some time in the future (with my next boat).
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hmmmmm, I thought the 10 footer would be alot more stable. I wasn't so concerned about the stability as it "cuts" through the water quite well. I loved the fact that one stroke of the oars while rowing would send you 50 feet. The ten footer would give you more room for a third person, but alas, Doc says "I can't row no mow."

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1608 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2006 : 18:19:56

I too prefer the inflatables. I like it that I can stand on the pontoon/gunwhale and lift things in and out of the boat.
I have a wood floor and an inflatable keel - it is a marvelously stable boat.

I'm on a mooring ball too and have done lots of rowing as I don't have an OB for my inflatable.
My neighbour has one of those WB's but he has one with pontoon like appendages on the gunwhales.

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2006 : 23:54:30

An inflatable is definitely more stowable and stable, but...

You can tow a hard dinghy...

Easily row it over to friends...

Or just around in a circle in the rain...

Or sail it with your kid...

Or stick a motor on it...

It looks good on the beach...

Or use it as a prop in a XMas pic...

But an inflatable is definitely more stowable and stable!

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2006 : 15:23:12

Definitely looks good on the beach! That's one sharp looking dink you have there Richard!

Edited by - on

ilnadi
Captain

Members Avatar

452 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2006 : 15:29:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by stampeder
 My neighbour has one of those WB's but he has one with pontoon like appendages on the gunwhales.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
They do sell a inflatable package for the WBs (see WM). I guess they approach RIB from the other end.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.