Walker Bay Odyssey Supertender Deluxe Review

American Product Review: Walker Bay Odyssey Supertender Deluxe

Today Catamaran Guru is excited to fill you in on a great rigid inflatable boat (RIB) manufactured in North America by a US company. We just bought the 12 ft 365 Odyssey Supertender Deluxe for our new Lagoon 450 Sport Top. We will be using this tender / dinghy during our crossing from France back to the US (stay tuned to follow us across the ocean!) and then on charter and for cruising. Walker Bay prides itself on its state-of-the-art technology and superior construction. They have won a dozen awards for product innovation, design, and commendable business practices.

We did the research and it has all the features that we want for our tender. The hull is designed to deflect water and therefor reduce spray. The 18″ pontoons are big enough to ensure a dry bottom and are fitted with a heavy-duty rub rail/splash guard and are also resistant to extreme temperatures, U.V. rays, gas, oil, chemicals, & abrasions. It is fitted with a huge locker in the front with additional seating, cupholders and more. AND it is backed by a 10-Year Limited Warranty. We have owned many dinghies over the years and have tried all of them. The Walker Bay is perfect for a cruising boat, with lots of storage, great stability, and exceptional durability. We are convinced that this is the dinghy for us.

Top Features for Catamaran Owners

• Supertender’s fiberglass floor is foam-filled so water cannot accumulate between the hull (bottom skin) and the deck (top skin) on the floor. So waterlogging the floor is prevented. This is a big issue in other RIBs. A waterlogged floor becomes very heavy and impacts performance greatly.
• Well-constructed base and big 18 inch pontoons made of Hypalon®-a high quality, UV-stable material. This is VERY important in the tropics as the tender will otherwise be ravaged by the sun. The pontoons are larger than previous Walker Bay models which is why we previously did not buy a Walker Bay dinghy. A wet bottom is so aggravating, so we were very pleased about this improvement.
• V-Hull design provides the smooth ride and cuts through choppy water and deflects spray to keep riders drier
• Console-ready design
• Wide bow to make it easier and safer to board the big boat from the bow of the dinghy and also keeps riders drier during the ride, actually 20% larger than standard RIBs
• Large front locker fits a 6.6-gallon tank
• Plenty of other dry storage aboard including in the center seat

Specifications

• Price Range: $6,000-$8,000(*Dealers may sell for less)
• Sizes:
  • Model 365: 12′ long (365 cm)
  • Model 325: 10′ 8″ long (325 cm)
• Hypalon materials available:
  • less expensive Heytex PVC with welded seams (5-year warranty)
  • or extremely durable ORCA CSM (10-year warranty)
• Proprietary DuraTech injected mold construction for superior strength-to-weight ratio and durability
• Large 18” diameter tubes and towing D-Rings included
• Extra hull and deck reinforcement areas for options for davit lifting points
• Tube set length is matched to length overall (LOA) with motor for maximum performance
• Boat covers available made from high quality water and dirt repelling, mildew and UV-resistant Sun-Sprae® fabric

Where to Get Your Walker Bay Supertender Deluxe

Visit the Walker Bay website to find a dealer near you.

What’s Your Take on the Supertender?

We found that the Supertender was an awesome dinghy with features of more expensive RIBs. They can be used for different sizes of boats depending on how much weight the davitz can carry. The most popular Supertender sizes are 10′ and 12′ to service cats 40′ to 45′. Do you own a Supertender or are you thinking about fitting your catamaran with one? Let us know.

*We added this dinghy to the Proudly American section but Michael Carroll, Director of Marketing & Business Development for Walker Bay, wanted to clarify “100% North American built” and explains: “We are an American company for over 20 years. We moved our assembly from Washington State to Monterrey Mexico about 5 years ago as we made a decision to no longer outsource to Asia for many reasons. We still build many of the parts and 50% of our hulls (polypropylene production) in the USA Washington State Plant and assemble in the MX factory. Mexico is part of North America and so all are NAFTA compliant. I just want to be upfront about this as it is not something we hide…”.