How to choose a yacht tender: start with the mother yacht
A tender is rarely chosen in isolation. It has to fit a garage or a deck cradle, be lifted by a particular crane or davit, and suit the way the yacht is used. The first questions are therefore about the yacht, not the tender: where it cruises, how far it anchors from shore, how many guests travel ashore at once, and whether it charters.
A yacht that spends summers anchored off the Riviera or the Balearics needs a tender that can carry guests comfortably across a lively bay in the evening. A yacht that cruises the Bahamas may value shallow draft and a bow that lands on a beach. Many larger yachts carry two tenders for exactly this reason: one for guests and one that works hard all day.
The main types of yacht tender
Most tenders fall into a few families. The right mix depends on the yacht's size, the guests and the cruising ground.
- Limousine tenders: enclosed or partly enclosed cabins that keep guests dry and dressed for dinner ashore. Common aboard larger yachts, and usually built to order.
- Open tenders: open-deck launches with generous seating for sunny days, beach trips and watersports. Often the guests' favorite.
- Rigid inflatable boats (RIBs): light, stable and forgiving alongside. They serve as crew tenders, chase boats and, on many yachts, as the designated rescue boat.
- Beach-landing and utility tenders: shallow-draft craft with a bow door or landing ramp, for provisioning, luggage and picnics on remote shores.
Garage, crane and weight: the practical limits
The garage or deck space sets the envelope. Length and beam are obvious, but height, the angle of the garage door, fender clearance and the space crew need to walk around a stowed tender all matter. A tender that fits on paper can still be awkward to launch in a swell.
Weight is equally important. Every crane and davit has a safe working load, and the tender's lifting weight, including fuel, equipment and any water it may have taken on, must sit comfortably within it. Lifting points, cradle design and chocks are usually engineered for one specific tender, which is why replacing a tender is often a small project in its own right.
If you are buying a yacht, it is worth asking early whether the tenders are included and how they are recorded in the inventory. The buyer's guide covers inventory and survey more broadly.
Propulsion, fuel and the tender's other roles
Waterjets are popular on larger tenders because they have no exposed propeller near swimmers and handle shallow water well. Sterndrives and inboard shafts offer efficiency and familiar handling, while outboards are simple to service and common on RIBs and smaller launches. Crew preference counts here, because the crew will drive the tender far more than anyone else.
Fuel type deserves thought. Many larger yachts prefer diesel tenders so that only one fuel is carried aboard, while petrol outboards remain common on smaller craft. The yacht's flag, class and safety plan may also expect a tender to act as a rescue boat, which brings its own equipment and certification requirements. The captain and the yacht's management should confirm these before any order is placed.
Custom, semi-custom or production
Production RIBs and launches are quick to source and easy to replace. Semi-custom builders adapt proven hulls with bespoke upholstery, colors and layouts. Fully custom builders design a tender around a single mother yacht, matching its lines, garage and crane from the first drawing.
Among the specialist houses, Falcon Tenders and Pascoe International build custom limousines and open launches in England, while Hodgdon Tenders brings a long New England boatbuilding tradition to superyacht tenders. The yacht tender directory gives an overview of the wider field.
Custom tenders take time to design and build, so it is sensible to begin the conversation well before the season in which the tender is needed. Specification, sea trials and delivery to the yacht all need to fit around the yacht's own schedule.
Look at the whole day, not only the brochure
The best way to judge a tender is to imagine a full day with it. The morning run ashore for provisions, the midday trip to a beach, towing a skier in the afternoon, and the evening ride to dinner in good clothes. A tender that does all of those well, and that the crew can launch, clean and maintain without strain, is usually the right choice.
Resale matters too. A well-chosen tender from a respected builder, properly maintained and documented, supports the value of the yacht it belongs to. A poorly matched tender can become a point of negotiation when the yacht is sold.
A private conversation about tenders
Daniel works with owners who are replacing a tender, adding a second one, or buying a yacht and assessing what comes with it. He can talk through the options with you and your captain and make introductions to builders suited to the brief. Where it helps, he will keep the conversation discreet and unhurried.