Recommended Engine for Walker Bay 310 RID (10ft)

jonb · #1 01-14-2008

I have going through the dinghy decision tradeoffs and am likely to go with a Walker Bay 310 RID (10').

I was considering either an inflatable RIB (10') with 9.9hp outboard as a fast, heavy carrier with the obvious issues of motor weight, lousy rowing etc.

vs a lower power, lighter motor solution of a Walker Bay 10 with the RID kit with a 6hp motor (max rated and considerably smaller/lighter than a 9.9hp).
We want something that in most cases will be rowed but occasionally will be used to get around with the motor.
Given that the Walker Bay is not a planing hull does it benefit from a 6hp or should I go to a 3.5hp for a lighter still solution.
If anyone has experience with a motor on the Walker bay 10 (or 310) it would be appreciated.

SVDistantStar · #2 01-14-2008

I had a walker bay 10 for awile. I mostly rowed it, but did use a motor on it for a little wile. My motor was a 1991 Johnson 3hp. It pushed it ok, but it made one hell of a wake at full speed.

I sold it and went back to my Avon since it was too heavy to haul up on deck. Also the 3hp makes my Avon plane off.

jonb · #3 01-14-2008

I too am concerned about the weight of the Walker Bay 10 but felt I could handle the weight of the boat on a halyard lift more readily than the weight of a larger outboard. The dinghy would only be lifted for storage when the boat is not in use as normally it would be towed. Maybe this thinking needs to be revisited and I should look for a lighter, rowable solution with a modest motor.

Any other input on the weight of the Walker Bay 10 as well as whether there is any performance benefit to going with a 3.5hp vs a 6hp would be appreciated.
The Walker Bay data suggest you can get to 12mph with a 6hp. It sounds like it might be optimistic.

mountforever · #4 05-04-2009

I too would be interested- I was thinking about getting the Walker Bay 8' rigid dinghy with the RID kit and trying an 8hp 2 stroke suzuki (Which tend to be fairly light)

chef2sail · #5 05-04-2009

Last year we bought a Walker bay Odessey Air Floor 270 AF (8ft 10 in). The advanatage was its weight as well as the 17" tubes and the many D rings and 4 lifting rings for the davits we have all ready installed in the tender. ($1000 at Defender) Very stable tender with a maxc load over 1100 lbs but easy to stow delated in the bow area for long trips like when we go to Mystic this summer and dont want it hanging off the davits in the ocean.

With it we coupled a new 4 HP 4 stroke Tahatsu. Plenty of power for what we use it for. Not really caring about planing either. The advantage of the of the 4 hp vs the 3.5 hp was it had an integrel tank + a connection for an external tank. Anything small hp did not. we bought a 3 gallun moeller external with a quick connect so we can take long cruises up some of the rivers and creeks here in the Chesapeake our main cruising grounds.

Dave

jgeissinger · #6 05-04-2009

I have had a Walker Bay 10 for some years now, and have used a variety of outboards on it. For putting around the marina or going from boat to shore, a 2hp works fine, We used a 3hp and made 3-4 mile ocean trips along the shoreline at Catalina at 4-5 kts loaded. A later 4hp made the same trips at 5-6 hp heavily loaded. It has great interior room and a dry ride through chop. (This is the non-inflatable, rigid hull version) We got it up to 8-9kts with a 6hp, but that is really pushing it. It only barely partially planes, it's a displacement hull, after all. A 9.9 would be useless weight and money. A 3-5hp lightweight 2 stroke would be my recommendation.

MSter · #7 05-06-2009

I recently purchased the 310 RID and use a 4hp merc 4strk. This seems (to me) an optimal combination. I have found I mostly row this dink as I am able to anchor close to my destination with only a 3'8 draft. I have used the engine for poking around more distant shorlines and the 4hp is perfect. Good power for the weight and the tank is still internal with no mixing. Overall I am very pleased with the Walker Bay. It is roomy, very stable with the RID, and IMO more versital than most other dinks I have looked at.

I initially tried to store the dink on my foredeck. This was quite a chore as it took up ALL my foredeck real estate to the point I could not untie the bow lines or even get to my anchor. So, needing to store it when not in use, I installed davits on my boat which seems overkill on a '27 but I only use them when docked at my home port. When underway I tow the dink and keep the motor secured to the stern rail.

Bottom line...I think the 310 RID with 4hp is a great combo. I have no doubt this dink will far outlast the engine, which will be replaced with another 4hp.

Aloha82 · #8 07-31-2009

The WB310 will not plane. I would opt for a 6hp (max rating with an inflatable tube option) for heavy hauling. I use the Merc 3.3 2-stroke on mine. I opted for this engine because it is verly light (abt 30 lbs). The stern plows badly in this boat. Heavy motor + operator is a bad combo. I have my passengers sit up front to help level it out. My crazy brother has a 8 hp on his and he installed whale fins on his motor to help dip the bow. Hope this helps.