On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 22:41:48 +0000, Albert P. Belle Isle wrote:



One of the attractions of the Walker Bay 8 is an empty weight of 71lbs
vs 80 for a Midget. However, I think either will be tolerable for two
people with a simple 3-point line-harness to my spinnaker halyard.

I was interested to hear if anyone here had actual experience trying
to duplicate the Walker Bay marketeer's (posed) photo of the guy
apparently trying to life-test his life-lines by dragging one over
them onto his fore-deck.


Yup. I've even pulled it up over the stern rail by myself while underway.
As you implied, it's a bit of a strain on the lifelines, and since my
stancions are not in the best of shape, I prefer to use the main halyard
to get it onboard.

I have no problem towing it, but not if I run into heavy weather. I
have litle use for anything that plays sea-anchor, or can't be easily
rowed. Hence, my lack of interest in de-flatables. But, I'm only
interested in a hard-dink if I have a place to put it - if I want to.


It tows very well - no problems at all. It's so light it just skims over
the water.

If you're interested in a REALLY light hard dinghy, plywood prams such as
Bateau's D4 are easy to build, look good (depending on your building
skills!), easy to row or sail, take a small (electric?) motor, and since
the bow is flat, they have a lot of bouyancy for their length, especially
at the bow so it's easier to get in/out at the stern of the "mothership".
And they weigh less than 60 lb!

http://www.boatplans-online.com/proddetail.php?prod=D5

Lloyd Sumpter
"Near Cove" Walker Bay 8

In article , Albert P. Belle Isle
says...

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 23:42:53 GMT, wrote:


Porta-bote 8 footer is 50 pounds! When set up, it is the same general size as a
Walker bay. When folded, it gives you a whole new set of possibilities for where
and how to store it.


Aha!.

I had missed the 8-foot version, as most people seem to have a
10-footer. Maybe I'd better take another look at the Porta-Bote.

I understand that it rows pretty well, and an 8 footer would fit on
top of the forward part of the coach roof, but only be 4 _inches_ in
height, rather than 2 feet.

We have two of the 8' Porta-Botes: one of the original double enders, and one
of the newer models with the square transoms. We bought the 8' new model as a
dink for our Ericson 38, in part because we wanted a dink that would take an
outboard (which the old 8 footer wouldn't really do) and because the 9 1/2 foot
folded length fit perfectly along our cabin house inside the shrouds.

BUT, I now regret getting the 8' model, as it's just too small, even for a
couple. We usually have my wife sit on the floor of the boat on extended trips
to better balance the boat. Unless you really can't store the extra length I
would strongly suggest getting the 10 foot version.

Not that the 8 footer doesn't work fine. We've used ours quite extensively with
our Honda 2 hp outboard, taking trips as long as 18 nm (round trip) from our
anchorage.

Steve Christensen

In article , Albert P. Belle Isle
says...

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 23:42:53 GMT, wrote:


Porta-bote 8 footer is 50 pounds! When set up, it is the same general size as a
Walker bay. When folded, it gives you a whole new set of possibilities for where
and how to store it.


Aha!.

I had missed the 8-foot version, as most people seem to have a
10-footer. Maybe I'd better take another look at the Porta-Bote.

I understand that it rows pretty well, and an 8 footer would fit on
top of the forward part of the coach roof, but only be 4 _inches_ in
height, rather than 2 feet.

We have two of the 8' Porta-Botes: one of the original double enders, and one
of the newer models with the square transoms. We bought the 8' new model as a
dink for our Ericson 38, in part because we wanted a dink that would take an
outboard (which the old 8 footer wouldn't really do) and because the 9 1/2 foot
folded length fit perfectly along our cabin house inside the shrouds.

BUT, I now regret getting the 8' model, as it's just too small, even for a
couple. We usually have my wife sit on the floor of the boat on extended trips
to better balance the boat. Unless you really can't store the extra length I
would strongly suggest getting the 10 foot version.

Not that the 8 footer doesn't work fine. We've used ours quite extensively with
our Honda 2 hp outboard, taking trips as long as 18 nm (round trip) from our
anchorage.

Steve Christensen

A couple of years ago I saw theWalker Bay 8 advertized for $ 598.00 at
Crappy ...er..Canadian Tire.
Now they want $ 998.00. The price sure went up quick, which seems odd since
our dollar has improved against the 'merican
greenback for the last year.

Lloyd Sumpter wrote in message
news
Wow - that's expensive! I got mine for $500 CDN at Steveston Marine
(had to assemble it myself - took all of 1/2 hr).

Lloyd Sumpter
"Near Cove" Walker Bay 8

A couple of years ago I saw theWalker Bay 8 advertized for $ 598.00 at
Crappy ...er..Canadian Tire.
Now they want $ 998.00. The price sure went up quick, which seems odd since
our dollar has improved against the 'merican
greenback for the last year.

Lloyd Sumpter wrote in message
news
Wow - that's expensive! I got mine for $500 CDN at Steveston Marine
(had to assemble it myself - took all of 1/2 hr).

Lloyd Sumpter
"Near Cove" Walker Bay 8

On 18 Dec 2003, (Bobsprit) wrote:

I used a WB 8 for a few years, . . . . Good little
dink that tows very well, but has limited capacity.
I can't imagine launching it from deck without
cursing someone out and I'm stronger than most
sailors.

Though we're still looking for an inflatable that really
(easily/reliably) deflates/inflates to enable in-lazaratte storage,
one solution to the launching-from-deck Thing was suggested some time
ago in one of those "I wish I had thought of that!" tips in one of the
sailing or cruising magazines -- namely, a simply-made and easily
collapsable "derek" arrangement:

Three 1"-diameeter dowels capped with poly-piping at the end acting as
collars which, when slotted together, make pole which can be attached
at one end to the mast, held up near the other end with a spare
halyard, and with pulleys at the over-the-water end (and, again, which
when done can be removed and stowed conveniently).

On 18 Dec 2003, (Bobsprit) wrote:

I used a WB 8 for a few years, . . . . Good little
dink that tows very well, but has limited capacity.
I can't imagine launching it from deck without
cursing someone out and I'm stronger than most
sailors.

Though we're still looking for an inflatable that really
(easily/reliably) deflates/inflates to enable in-lazaratte storage,
one solution to the launching-from-deck Thing was suggested some time
ago in one of those "I wish I had thought of that!" tips in one of the
sailing or cruising magazines -- namely, a simply-made and easily
collapsable "derek" arrangement:

Three 1"-diameeter dowels capped with poly-piping at the end acting as
collars which, when slotted together, make pole which can be attached
at one end to the mast, held up near the other end with a spare
halyard, and with pulleys at the over-the-water end (and, again, which
when done can be removed and stowed conveniently).

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 00:56:52 GMT, wrote:

I assume that you are using this dinghy with a sailboat? If so use the
spinnicker pole as a derrick. connect the pole to the mast; connect
the pole lift and rig a two, three, whatever, part tackle between the
pole and then dink. You probably should also rig for and aft lines to
the end of the pole to control swing while you're hauling the dinghy.

Cheers,
(change to bruce/at/inet/co/th for teply)


On 18 Dec 2003, (Bobsprit) wrote:

I used a WB 8 for a few years, . . . . Good little
dink that tows very well, but has limited capacity.
I can't imagine launching it from deck without
cursing someone out and I'm stronger than most
sailors.

Though we're still looking for an inflatable that really
(easily/reliably) deflates/inflates to enable in-lazaratte storage,
one solution to the launching-from-deck Thing was suggested some time
ago in one of those "I wish I had thought of that!" tips in one of the
sailing or cruising magazines -- namely, a simply-made and easily
collapsable "derek" arrangement:

Three 1"-diameeter dowels capped with poly-piping at the end acting as
collars which, when slotted together, make pole which can be attached
at one end to the mast, held up near the other end with a spare
halyard, and with pulleys at the over-the-water end (and, again, which
when done can be removed and stowed conveniently).


Cheers,

anon
(reply to k4556[at]inet[dot]co[dot]th)

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 00:56:52 GMT, wrote:

I assume that you are using this dinghy with a sailboat? If so use the
spinnicker pole as a derrick. connect the pole to the mast; connect
the pole lift and rig a two, three, whatever, part tackle between the
pole and then dink. You probably should also rig for and aft lines to
the end of the pole to control swing while you're hauling the dinghy.

Cheers,
(change to bruce/at/inet/co/th for teply)


On 18 Dec 2003, (Bobsprit) wrote:

I used a WB 8 for a few years, . . . . Good little
dink that tows very well, but has limited capacity.
I can't imagine launching it from deck without
cursing someone out and I'm stronger than most
sailors.

Though we're still looking for an inflatable that really
(easily/reliably) deflates/inflates to enable in-lazaratte storage,
one solution to the launching-from-deck Thing was suggested some time
ago in one of those "I wish I had thought of that!" tips in one of the
sailing or cruising magazines -- namely, a simply-made and easily
collapsable "derek" arrangement:

Three 1"-diameeter dowels capped with poly-piping at the end acting as
collars which, when slotted together, make pole which can be attached
at one end to the mast, held up near the other end with a spare
halyard, and with pulleys at the over-the-water end (and, again, which
when done can be removed and stowed conveniently).


Cheers,

anon
(reply to k4556[at]inet[dot]co[dot]th)

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003, anon wrote:

wrote:

I assume that you are using this dinghy with a sailboat?

yes

If so use the spinnicker pole as a derrick. connect the
pole to the mast; connect the pole lift and rig a two,
three, whatever, part tackle between the pole and then
dink. You probably should also rig for and aft lines to
the end of the pole to control swing while you're hauling
the dinghy. Cheers . . .

Of course, I agree with this . . . if one has a spinnaker or like
pole. As it happens (actually: it didn't just "happen" and instead
for us was a matter of choice), we don't, having opted instead for a
near functional equivalent to a spinnaker or gennaker but with (for
us) more ease-of-handling yet don't-give-up-performance features
(i.e., Doyle's self-furling "utility power sail" a/k/a "UPS")). My
earlier suggestion, quoted in part below, thus is correspondingly
meant to (and does) perform exactly the functions in pretty much the
same manner as use of a spinnaker pole you summarize above yet also
with more collapsable/stow-able ease.*

-----------------------
*
Three 1"-diameter dowels capped with poly-piping
at the end acting as collars which, when slotted
together, make pole which can be attached
at one end to the mast, held up near the other
end with a spare halyard, and with pulleys at the
over-the-water end (and, again, [acts as a "derrick"
and] which when done can be removed and stowed
conveniently).