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Walker Bay Generation RIBs

Discussion in 'Tenders & Dinghies' started by Pascal, Aug 30, 2016.

  1. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    until recently I didn't know Walker Bay made larger tenders, I had always thought they made smaller models only. Couple of months ago, I came across their 15' model while researching tenders for the 84 Lazzara we started running.

    Looked at nautica, Novurania, ab, etc....all the usual suspects, and decided on the 15' Walker Bay Generation 450 as it had the most roomy seating layout. We ve been using it non stop for a week in the Exumas now and it's an impressive little boat. When lightly loaded the 75hp Honda is almost too much power but with 8 to 10 adults it will get on plane without effort. Nice V hull with good sheer that cuts well thru the chop and keeps the boat very dry

    The layout is far better than any other tenders in that size range with a wider bow seat and a huge storage area under and aft of the helm bench. The helm bench is set fairly low so stuff you may put down on the bench will not fall overboard unlike others tenders with high seats.

    Good storage under the bow seats as well. One great feature is the twin insulated coolers built in the stern area, easy to reach and perfect when exploring beaches and sandbars for a while! Ours also has upgraded upholstery, courtesy lights, stereo, VHF and a Simrad touch screen sounder/GPS.

    Three minor gripes ... Cable steering instead of hydraulic , the smim ladder geometry makes it completely useless and at night you have to stick the removable pole light instead of having a stern light on the motor. Easy fix though

    So, if you re in need of a 13 to 17' RIB, take a look at the Walker Bays. We got ours from the dealer in Naples Florida (Inflatable boats of Florida), they deliver and service south Florida too.

    Attached Files:

  2. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    It does have a nice layout. You mentioned Nautica. They never resumed did they? Novurania is so heavily toward larger models. AB seems to be have a large part of the market but not as nice. Then there seem to be different ones producing a boat here and there. I would have thought the market for RIBS in the 13-17' range would have been much larger than it appears to be based on those in it. Walker Bay has always had a good reputation. Nice seeing they have these models.

    Now, if they'd add some jets to the line, we'd be all over them.

    You really carry 8 to 10 adults in it? That I can't imagine.
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2016
  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    It's rated for 8 but we actually had 10 the other day, granted half were women... :) but I was surprised how well it got on plane
  4. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    I'd be more surprised where people sat. Obviously some in the floor or something. Nice it still got on plane.
  5. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    On th benches, on the port side tube... They fit...
  6. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    We do have a group that is very friendly with each other so I'm sure they could fit as well. We get out for long hours of exploring, however, and would prefer sitting not quite as packed. Still excellent seating layout in that RIB. I like the side seating, which I think of as "limo style" seating since it's used on many RIB's designed for limo type purposes. I don't know why Williams doesn't use that seating on any of their RIB's.
  7. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    We have a smaller WB Genesis model (but not the console version), seems to have some of the same features: good storage, seating, etc.

    What's a good solution to the stern light? Recently upgraded our outboard, haven't yet focused on lighting. Seems to me a light on the motor cowling would be blinding for the operator...'

    -Chris
  8. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    When you have a large group, you don't have much of a choice short of towing a center console. In our case it s for short runs to a nearby beach or sandbar so it works out. If we need to shuttle more than a few minutes away, we ll usually move the boat specially now with the shallower draft we can get closer to the nice spots

    When we get back to miami I ll install a stern light on the outboard cowling. Not an all around but a stern light. It won't affect night vision being low. Much better than the white all around on a stick 4" above stern
  9. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    Ah! Good point, thanks, I was always thinking about the all-round white light...

    -Chris
  10. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    Ah, again. There's that pesky Rule 23... which I guess is why I'd always been looking at all-round white lights...

    -Chris
  11. dainisk

    dainisk Member

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    I've been using a red/green bow light and a motor mounted stern white light on my little Walker Bay dink. Hell of a lot better than a stick with an all round white light. No night vision issues, in fact the red/green lights up what's in front quite nicely. These are magnetic mounted so only put in place when needed. I've now made a cup that they sit in so they don't get accidentally knocked off so easily. 20100125 DSC_6590as.jpg 20100125 DSC_6575as.jpg 20130930-015ss.jpg
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The absolute best thing I've ever done to inflatables is put a 4 blade propellor on them. It makes them get up and stay up on plane so much better and they ride much better.....Mercury makes an aluminum 4 blade that will work on most engine brands (torque flo changeable hub) and it's night and day difference over a 3 blade.
  13. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Good tip. I ll look into it as i want to keep a spare prop anyway since we rely on it so much when in the Exumas

    Been almost 6 weeks on constant use now and we ve pretty much dropped the idea of getting a towed center console. Too much hassle and worth it. Between the performance of the walker bay and the shallow draft of the Lazzara we don't need it
  14. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Just drop 1" pitch when going to a 4 blade. But they've made a HUGE difference in performance on every boat I've put them on. The aluminum one from Mercury is cheap, like around $150 with the hub kit for your motor.....

    The big center console still has it's advantages- can fish and dive from it. Can easily run from Staniel to Highbourne just for lunch and back comfortably.....but also have to hook and unhook it everytime you go somewhere.
  15. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    In the 19 years running charters here we ve never had guests really wanting to dive. As to fishing, most of our guests are families and if they want to fish, we hire a guide and boat in Staniel.

    Not sure why anybody would want to run to highborne for lunch :) but hey that's just us.

    A center console appealed to us to transfer guests and luggage who fly into Gtown and we pick them up in Barraterre (north end of great exuma) . For larger groups with luggage it would mean 3 round trips with the tender or hire a local guy as with the deeper draft of the Johnson it was a mile long run. Now with the LazZara draft of under 5' we can get within 200' of the governemnt dock and even to the dock at high tide.
  16. praetorian47

    praetorian47 Senior Member

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    I just sold a 13' generations that I had a 70 Yamaha and a jack plate from bobs machine shop. I sold it with the boat, but am buying a new one exactly the same including the jack plate.

    The plate can put some strain on the transom, but my dealer braces it sufficiently. The plate does give me about 5kts more top end which is nice. It allows me to get much, much, shallower while still having the drive trimmed down and useful. I can beach the boat to let the dog out, then back right off into the water with little to no pushing. If the dog jumps himself out and back in, I dont even need to get up. The plate also can make stowing he dinghy easier.

    It requires hydraulic steering, which in the case of my old dinghy was a nice addition. It had a hard time steering left under high throttle with cables.
  17. thatcher

    thatcher Member

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    we just bought a the 450. great boat. looking to sell our nautical 15 wide body. any takers
  18. RB480

    RB480 Senior Member

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    Looking for one. Where is the boat located? Any info and pictures?
  19. Minnow

    Minnow New Member

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    Over a year later...How is the Walker Bay holding up?
  20. praetorian47

    praetorian47 Senior Member

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    I sold my first one last year. It was 5 years old and held up very well. the new one is much nicer, they've improved little things and made it better.