What to buy Walker Bay or older Avon?

P

PvL

New member
I have a decision to make...Buy a new Walkerbay 240
​PVC with inflatable floor and sun cover for 1000.00​


​W - 60''
L - just under 8' / 240 cm
lbs- 49
cap - 3
hp - 6

..... OR a 10yrs old Avon Red Crest soft bottom with light plywood floor for 500.00 (good condition)

W - 48''
L - just 9' 3"
lbs- 49
cap - 4
hp - 4

I am thinking if the Avon was Hypalon it would be a no brainier. Do you know if all Avons were Hypalon or equivalent?

The 48" Avon would fit in between the high arch better on our 22' CDory better

I know the soft floor will not row as well or plane.

The use will be taking our lab to shore and exploring.

Thoughts?

Thanks....PvL
 
If the Avon has been well cared for the fabric should be fine. However. you need to check the seams for signs of separation.

I had a brand new Walker Bay 310 (hypalon) once. First time out the seams where the transom attached started separating. It was repaired under warranty (but still a hassle). The repairs substantially reinforced the area where the transom attached and was not just regluing of the seams. I only kept the boat a couple of months after that, so I don't know it there would have been further problems.

I don't know if the seams on the PVC WB boats are glued or welded. I would check them closely even on a new boat.

I had a Zodiac PVC RIB with thermowelded seams. These were the best and I would recommend those over glued seams. However, it is getting harder to find welded seams these days. A lot of the boats are made in Asia and are mostly glued seams.

I have a Intex Mariner 3 for light duty use (rowing people and stuff to/from shore). While not as robust as a "real" inflatable, for as often as I use and what I use it for, it does the job nicely and only cost ~$150. It has heat welded seams.
 
The Red Crest was the second from the smallest (RedStart) of the round boats line (no transom--tubes all around. Thus the inside dimensions are 2'4" wide and 6' 7" long. We had a Red Seal back in the early 60's. The soft floor was not so good for dogs.

You could cut a 1/2" plywood board and cover it with indoor outdoor Ozite carpet. This will work better for the dogs--but then you have to store that board.

Here is an article on fitting floor boards for a Red Crest.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/archive/index ... 67142.html

We have cruised almost 8 years full time with labs (3years in Europe--and the dog died there, and 4 years Alaska, sailed down to Florida with us). Great companions, but they are dinghy hogs!

The older Avons before Zodiac buyout were all Hypalon, Zodiac purchased Avon Inflatables in 1998, so any boat built after time might be PVC.

I have no experience with the Walker Bay boats.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I went with the older Avon. The owner dropped the price a bit. It came with well crafted plywood inserts and pair of custom made oars. Our lab gave it a passing grade. Even with the soft bottom, it rows way better than our other inflatable. It fits well our 22. ...PvLjavascript:emoticon(':D')
 
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