Whaly plastic boats

[two stroke mick]

I am thinking of buying a whaly plastic boat circa 3.7m long. The main use is for fishing on the lakes in the west of Ireland (large and small,). I also like the idea of using it on the sea instead of a sib. Has anyone any experience of these boats.

How stable are they?
Are they wet in chop?
Use as a family boat?
Power requirements to plane?

Any other thoughts welcome

Regards tsm

[Poly]

Originally Posted by two stroke mick

I am thinking of buying a whaly plastic boat circa 3.7m long. The main use is for fishing on the lakes in the west of Ireland (large and small,). I also like the idea of using it on the sea instead of a sib. Has anyone any experience of these boats.



How stable are they?

Are they wet in chop?

Use as a family boat?

Power requirements to plane?



Any other thoughts welcome



Regards tsm

I don’t have any experience of Whaly (and IIRC only one member here has previously posted about trying them) but I do have experience on FunYak their direct competitor. Stevie Bill can also comment on his FunYak experiences and there is at least one other member who has owned one, along with a good handful of people here who have been on mine or seen it along side sibs etc. I have no reason to believe that the Whaly would be a fundamentally different experience for a similar design.

So here goes for the FunYak 3.90 (sometimes marketed as the FunYak Sparfel):

Stability - very. Every bit as stable as a SIB or RIB of similar size. To capsize one you would have to try very hard.
Wet - yes. I think they are sensitive to trim and am convinced if you had power trim you could make them much drier by adapting to the conditions. I think it will depend also on console v tiller and weight distribution.
Family boat - obviously seat configuration has a lot to do with that, so Whaly may be different there. I’ve used mine from two adults and a toddler to now two adults a 14 y old and 10 y old. It’s starting to get a bit cosy now but I did rerig it a few years back with a jockey seat which is a great improvement but less space efficient. Tiller steer bench layouts would fit six in relative comfort on niceish days.
Power - she’ll plane easily with 20hp (2 Stoke) she is quite heavy even empty, but has a more efficient hull than a similar sized sib. Even with all four of us, a heavy jockey seat, 50L of fuel and the gubbins that goes with a day trip from the mainland to Jura she planes ok and got to >18 knots (with a less than perfect prop). With a load of extra stuff - like a 30kg kayak, a 11kg paddle board, and other assorted stuff she was struggling to get to 15 knots but that was to be expected. One up and lightly loaded with a brand new prop shell do 22 knots. She’s rated to take 30hp, and with the family now having grown I do wonder if that would be better, although I think PTT would be higher up my wish list than simply more horses.

She is pretty much invincible. Both kids have driven it into pontoons in ways that would make rib owners wince. I’m relatively relaxed about leaving it on beaches.

If you are going to be over in Scotland at all you are welcome to come for a try.

[Poly]

Oh, and one criticism of HDPE rotomolded boats in general - attaching anything to the hull is “challenging”. The material doesn’t like to be glued, self tappers slip over time, you often can’t access the other side to use bolts, if you drill/screw too far you risk the watertight integrity. It can be overcome but if you plan to modify it’s worth considering.

[Stevie Bill]

I second all that poly has said, and would add my two pennorth: if your lake fishing is fly/on the drift, you will need a decent drogue because the polyboats are much shallower than conventional loch craft, so skim along sideways in any sort of breeze... The drogue is essential for reasonable drift speed... Not so critical for sea fishing where a fast drift is OK. Most of my trips have been sea, but have enjoyed several loch trips as well.
My 20 four stroke pushes a good 20 knots plus but would be faster still if it was mounted at the right height. For some reason my boat suffered very serious transom overflow at speed until I fitted a booster bar to raise it two inches, and it is still quite plashy in the wake.
Feels extremely solid and stable in the water, and extremely forgiving of occasional idiocy like powering down a wave into the face of the next oncoming breaker... Great fun if you're expecting it, and very reassuring when it happens because you're asleep at the helm yet still afloat and alive!
Any attachments are a pita, well nuts work if well sikaflexed in place but it may be a potential leak point.... The poly benches are a total pita after two or three hours, a piece of memory foam is an essential accessory!
Despite one or two teething issues, I have no regrets, and would buy again if in the market... Which I won't be for a long long time because the material is virtually immortal, a huge advantage over any inflatable!..
Hope this helps your decision.

[Stevie Bill]

Oh... And the outfit is heavy, so really needs a decent slip for launch and recovery. You might be willing to sling it down a cliff to launch, as they in some of the poly boat vids online, but I value my motor and electronics too much to risk it!

[beerbelly]

on ebay now 173485324770
nothing to do with me but looks tidy

[Stevie Bill]

That fleabag outfit seems overpriced, unless there are significant extras the seller hasn't mentioned. A brand new set up wouldn't be much more!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Stevie Bill

That fleabag outfit seems overpriced, unless there are significant extras the seller hasn't mentioned. A brand new set up wouldn't be much more!

Aw, damn, I got my hopes up I had a never depreciating boat!

[two stroke mick]

Very hard to find in Ireland

[Notebook]

Originally Posted by Poly

Oh, and one criticism of HDPE rotomolded boats in general - attaching anything to the hull is “challenging”. The material doesn’t like to be glued, self tappers slip over time, you often can’t access the other side to use bolts, if you drill/screw too far you risk the watertight integrity. It can be overcome but if you plan to modify it’s worth considering.

Pop Rivet?

[Easedalenovice]

Originally Posted by Notebook

Pop Rivet?

This is a 5 year old Fred

[69cmw]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

This is a 5 year old Fred

Who is Fred? [emoji15]

[Notebook]

Originally Posted by 69cmw

Who is Fred? [emoji15]

Not sure but he is 5 years old - hence lost

[willk]

Originally Posted by Notebook

Not sure but he is 5 years old - hence lost

At least Notebook was on topic and it WAS a very good suggestion that answered a question I had been asking myself yesterday. The thread will always pop up in a search of Polyboats/Whalys. I salute you Sir!


Just as someone planning to bury a toaster/5YO Fred in dense undergrowth will raise a future glass to the Many Times Banned one above...

[Notebook]

Originally Posted by willk

At least Notebook was on topic and it WAS a very good suggestion that answered a question I had been asking myself yesterday. The thread will always pop up in a search of Polyboats/Whalys. I salute you Sir!


Just as someone planning to bury a toaster/5YO Fred in dense undergrowth will raise a future glass to the Many Times Banned one above...

Thanks

Take a look at tri-fold rivets and well bolt fixings too

[Kristian S]

Old thread I know, but I have a Whaly 435R with an Evinrude E-tec 40 hp outboard that I use for spearfishing. I'd be happy to answer questions if anyone is considering a Whaly

[Notebook]

Originally Posted by Kristian S

Old thread I know, but I have a Whaly 435R with an Evinrude E-tec 40 hp outboard that I use for spearfishing. I'd be happy to answer questions if anyone is considering a Whaly

Hi
Is that a 2023 model?
Outboard power more than needed of about right?
general thoughts on it and would you buy another?

Thanks

[Croolis]

I've driven Whalys at my sailing club. We've got a couple proper RIBs with steering wheels and a couple Whalys with rear steered outboard. I've only driven the Whaly briefly. It's got to be 4m but had a 20hp engine. It felt heavy compared to my 3.2m SIB, unsurprisingly. Heavy plastic. Not much more input than that from me am afraid.

[Kristian S]

I bought it new in early 2021 so it's not the 2023-model which looks like it has a better design. I have a bench as far back as it can go, with a 22 L fuel tank inside and in front of the bench is the console. It looks like you can put a console in the same place in the 2023-model and have extra storage in the sides. Very nice upgrade as storage space is limited.

I think my 40 hp 2-stroke Evinrude is perfect. When you have two adults sitting on the bench behind the console the bow raises quite a bit before it is on the plane so it is nice to have the power to get out of the hole and up on the plane quickly. It can be a rough ride up front if there are any waves, so it's great to be able to sit on the back bench if necessary. I'm considering a hydrofoil (Permatrim) for the outboard to be able to plane at lower speeds. With 40 hp the top speed is around 28 knots as far as I remember but I rarely go that fast It is a very stable boat - just don't let go of the steering wheel while driving. Easy to get in and out of when spearfishing.

The boat is quite wet if you are going against the waves at the wrong angle but it helps a lot to trim the motor correctly so power trim is a plus.

I bought the "R" version after talking to a Whaly dealer in New Zealand who said it was more rigid and stable in the water. I have not tried the non "R" version but I don't feel any flex in my boat at all.

I live close to a marina where I have the boat on a trailer next to a slip. There is an electrical winch at the slip. It is light enough that I can easily push the trailer to the slip and get the boat in the water alone without using my car.

I think the boat is great for what I use it for and I don't see a better alternative at the same price at the moment. It is practically indestructible and requires very little maintenance. It is easy to dive from, like a RIB, and I can't puncture it with a speargun or knife. It is pretty fast with a relatively small outboard (compared to RIBs or "normal" fiberglass boats) which makes it a cheaper alternative.

I do a lot of rod and reel fishing as well and of course you can fish from a Whaly but it is not the best. I like to stand up while fishing which is easier in a boat with higher sides and a railing to grab on to. It can be a bit of a rough and wet ride in waves so maybe not the best family boat.

[Notebook]

Thanks for the info
I just like to plod about.
Had a rib by my partner always worried about it getting punctured.
We rented a small Whaly for a few hours in Henley in the UK which was governed speed wise, and she felt much much better boing in it.
For power trim, you need a console I take it?
Thanks