Walker Bay builds the most innovative, versatile, and enjoyable boats on the market. It is our mission to provide our customers with smart, simple, user-friendly solutions so they can enjoy every minute of their time spent out on the water. We constantly strive to create products that offer better value and fresh thinking, and we take pride in the joy it brings to those who own them.
Walker Bay was founded in 1996 with the vision to combine the most advanced plastics composite manufacturing technology with classic, small boat designs to make boating affordable for all. We believed families would value the opportunity to share the experience of being on the water. The design of our first product was a versatile platform for fun, easy access to the water and learning the basics of boating…self propelled rowing, wind powered sailing and outboard motor handling.
By being the world’s first to combine high pressure injection molding with boat design we were able to produce a product that was superior in design, precision, function and durability. No other manufacturer had used technology to make a boat as easy to use as the Walker Bay 8 with its “Simply Smart” design. With so many Walker Bay boats in circulation there is a lasting legacy with countless hours of joy, recreation, learning and memories.
Through our experience in small, classic boat design we developed a practical understanding and appreciation for the benefits of combining inflatable tube construction with rigid hulls. With another world’s first, the Rigid Inflatable Dinghy, we combined the proven inflatable tube construction developed for military applications with a classic rigid displacement hull. The result was a significant improvement in performance and safety characteristics. Adding an inflatable tube to a rigid hull translated into increased capacity for the number persons, maximum load and horsepower, as well significantly improved stability. We also found that the combination of a rigid hull below the water line with an inflatable tube above the water line preserved the hydrodynamic performance characteristics of the rigid hull while also benefiting from the protective “fender” characteristics of the heavy duty inflatable tube.
Following the overwhelming positive response to the launch of the Genesis RIB in 2005 our customers asked if we would apply our high standards for design and innovation to the luxury console tender category. In 2005 we introduced the Generation Deluxe line of luxury console tender RIBs. The Generation Deluxe design was quickly recognized worldwide for its style and innovative design. The design of its hull gave the Generation a smoother, drier and more comfortable ride than other boats its size. Significant innovations in layout and features made the Generation Deluxe more comfortable and versatile. The Generation has become the benchmark by which luxury tenders are compared and its styling continues throughout our product line to this day.
Through the development of the Generation we learned that the market for tenders is as diverse and complex as the many designs and categories of yachts in the world. Before Walker Bay, the console tender was traditionally a single product line for companies focussed on broad range of inflatable boat categories trying to cater to sporting, commercial and cruising applications. At Walker Bay we believe that to be the best it is necessary to focus our efforts and with that in mind it became our mission to produce the world’s best outboard console tenders.
Our vision could not become reality without the dedication of our team. The great care and skill required to build our products is only possible with dedication and passion. We value the opportunity for personal fulfillment that our dedication to our craft provides. We value the relationship with our dealers in delivering the experience we want for our customers. We value our customers who entrust us to be part of their own vision and life experience and the institutions devoted to ensuring the safety and well being of consumers and boaters worldwide.
Our boats are designed and built in North America. By investing in a 100,000 sq/ft factory in the manufacturing hub of Monterrey Mexico we are one of the few inflatable boat builders located on the North American continent. By positioning our factory just a two hour drive from the border with Texas we are able to deliver our boats more quickly and at a lower cost than other inflatable boat builders.