Trying to purchase a Walker Bay Genisis 310

[Jd1]

I have my sights set on a Walker Bay Genisis 310 Hypalon light dinghy with folding transom. I have been unable to convince anybody in the area to sell me one (short of groveling on my knees). There are only two places I have found that carry this unit and both of them do not seem overly excited about making a $3500 sale. One outfit hasn't returned my inquiry email and the other outfit has consistently refused/ignored my questions I asked via email, requesting that I call them on the phone instead (we are talking 4 clear questions not a 'nebulous' question of why I should buy that particular dinghy that would require a long salesman song and dance). Kinda really takes the fun out of spending money and with the current state of the economy it is really bizarre that dealers are not showing interest in this sort of sale.

BTW, Walker Bay does not show the Genisis line as being available on their web site - has anyone ever heard of them selling that line direct to the end user ?

[s/v Moondancer]

We have owned one for 4 years, it is worst built thing we have on our boat!

We are full time live-aboards and use the dinghy 300+ days per year. The transom patches started to fail in the first 2 months (we saw 3 Walker Bays with failing transom patches at a single dock in Grenada). After 2 years the plastic hull split near the transom. The protective bumper around the hull is 50% separated and split from no more that regular dinghy dock contact.

Perhaps there are good reasons that nobody will sell you one! They have a cute design but are not built for everyday use.

[Jd1]

Well crap !!! I have done a lot of digging and the reports were, if I recall correctly, mostly positive. Not what I wanted to hear but thanks for the heads-up!
Anybody else with input on the WB Genisis 310 with folding transom?

Phil, do you have an alternate suggestion for a RIB?

[Jimbo485]

Shouldn't they be called RDBs? I find RIB so ironic and typical of marketing BS.

[GeoPowers]

We got one in Oct at the boat show">Annapolis boat show for 2800, so you may get a better deal than 3500 if you are patient/ shop around. I've heard the older genesis model years had problems with their transom, but not sure what exact years. We love ours so far, but is less than a year old so can't speak to its longevity. I recommend you visit the dealers and "kick the tires" to make sure the Genesis is a good fit for you.

What does RDB stand for?

Frank

[minaret]

Originally Posted by GeoPowers

We got one in Oct at the Annapolis boat show for 2800, so you may get a better deal than 3500 if you are patient/ shop around. I've heard the older genesis model years had problems with their transom, but not sure what exact years. We love ours so far, but is less than a year old so can't speak to its longevity. I recommend you visit the dealers and "kick the tires" to make sure the Genesis is a good fit for you.

What does RDB stand for?

Frank

Rigid Deflatable Boat?


I sure am glad I got rid of mine and got a nice hard dinghy instead.

[Jimbo485]

Minaret wins first prize!!

[waterworldly]

We purchased our Walker Bay Geneiss over five years ago and are also full time live aboards. We keep ours in pristine condition, washed, and we use Aerospace Propellent on it at least 4 times a year. It is a very good product and the hard floor is a wonderful idea and feature. I think if you read that some say it is falling apart, you have to look at the way they treat their "stuff". We have seen other Walker Bay dinks that are four years old and have never been cleaned or taken care of and are in bad shape. We would hardily recommend this product. We use ours with a 15hp 2 stroke Yamaha and it planes beautifully with this arrangement, even with two or three not so slim people on board.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

Minaret wins first prize!!

A prize!? Whatcha got for me?

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by minaret

A prize!? Whatcha got for me?

A carton of XXXX beer!! We are anchored about 6 miles downstream of the brewery.... dinghy over (in your hard dinghy) whenever you are ready, mate!

[savoir]

Anchoring near a brewery ?

I like it !

Does the owner have a daughter ?

[savoir]

By the way, I have a Genesis 310 deluxe for sale. It is in Rhode Island.

As is, $2700 and you get hull, oars, bellows, hull slings, 10 hp Mercury 2 stroke, motor sling, 4 gallon plastic fuel tank with hose. It has been in a shed for 3 years so it needs a clean up and motor tune. I'll be selling it for $3000 once it gets warm enough to work on it.

You would pay around $2300 for a 10 hp motor alone.

I have no car so I can't deliver.

[roberttigar]

We had a 3 yr old walker bay (inflatable bottom). Last fall the tubes delaminated from the transom. Also the oar locks and rub rail also were coming loose from the hull. We returned it to the Ft lauderdale dealer where it was purchased for warranty repair. We were informed that while the delamination of the tabs from the transom were under warranty, the oar locks and rub rail were considered "Accessories" and were not warranted. These items, the dealer explained, were made from PVC and there is no suitable glue to attach pvc to hypolan.

After weeks the dealer called to explain that repairs could no be suitably made and the factory wanted to talk. They offered a "special Deal" They would provide a new inflatible at a special price of $1085. That seemed excessive for 3 years of lite use since the unit (8') cost approx $1500.

I said unexceptable...The end of the story is that Walker Bay provided a replacement (new) at NC. The new model has minimal PVC "accessories". The handles are hypolon and oarlocks have been redesigned. The transon is now molded rather than laminated plywood. Only time will tell if it is better quality.

Our dealer...84 Inflatables, the only dealer in Ft lauderdale, was, I am sure, helpful in our resolution of this matter. I also know that my firm insistance that they resolve this matter resulted in positive results.

I have a friend with the same model..same problems and same resolution
Bob Tigar

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

A carton of XXXX beer!! We are anchored about 6 miles downstream of the brewery.... dinghy over (in your hard dinghy) whenever you are ready, mate!

Lol! Six miles is no problem. I can do the propane outboard, make the crew row in the double rowing stations, and one leg will be downwind allowing me to sail, unless its a beam reach and I can sail both ways! It might take me longer to get there, unless there's a chop or the deflatables outboard dies, but I'll have more fun! And you better make it two cases, cuz the hard dinghy can carry a crew of four and a big dog no problem. Try planing a deflatable with that much crew. It requires a big outboard, with all of its attendant maintenance and problems. Don't get me wrong, it has a place, and I still keep a roll up 12' Zodiac under the forepeak with an 18 hp Tohatsu on the rail. But the Tohatsu has a brand new carb that's never seen fuel, and I intend to leave it that way as long as possible. We'll see how long I can go with just the hard dink before I feel the absolute need to inflate the deflatable and run fuel through that outboard. Bet it'll be a long time! Yeah, that's roller furling on a dinghy with a carbon gaff rig.

[ranger58sb]

Our hypalon 310 FTD is 2009 model, no problems so far.

-Chris