The Yacht Tender Evolution: An Insider’s Insight

The Superyacht industry is advancing at an astonishing pace, embracing new designs, technology, innovation and concepts. Since the early 1990’s, this evolution has been nothing short of sensational. Nigel Upton from Superyacht Tenders is here to take you through how, over the past 30 years, the concept of a yacht tender and the importance bestowed upon it have changed significantly. Read on for a fascinating account of the yacht tender evolution.

Past & Present: What Is A Yacht Tender For?

Buying what was available…

In the past, yacht tenders were not something that the majority of yacht owners or yacht manufacturers thought much about. They bought what was available from the limited number of manufacturers in the industry and more importantly what would  fit in the space available onboard the yacht. As long as they  served a purpose and they could fulfil the role of ship to shore  duties and guest transportation then overall specifications and  style were not paramount in most cases.

This couldn’t be further from the truth today.

Now spoilt for choice!

A yacht tender is something that has evolved significantly over the years and is given far more consideration by the yacht owner, captain, and yacht manufacturer as a whole. Yacht garages and space onboard are now purpose-built to accommodate all manner of tenders and toys required by the owner.

Increasing Demand From Yachts

Which type to buy?

Yachts now demand more from their tenders than ever before. Owners and crew know that the type of tenders they have onboard have a huge impact on the overall success of the day-to-day workings of a Superyacht.

Serving many different purposes

Yacht tenders now serve many different purposes and, as yachts get larger, so do their compliment of tenders and their designated uses. These may be bespoke one-off builds, custom-and-semi-custom, or off-the-shelf options.

All serve a purpose and cater for differing budgets and preferences. For example, an owner’s tender may be fully bespoke – whereby a guest tender may not be assigned with such importance which results in reduced build time, cost, and simplicity of design.

What Owners Want

Owners and guests want to be kept dry, feel safe and comfortable, look stylish, and make an impression arriving at upmarket destinations.

Other important factors:

• Designs that mirror the mothership
• Tenders that are water sport competent
• Fast performance orientated boats that cover distances quickly
• Tenders that offer an additional dimension to yachts itineraries that just weren’t practical or feasible before

What Crew Want

Crew need these tenders to be able to launch, recover, and store easily. They need to be easy to use and practical for purpose and, above all, reliable and robust to cope with a busy schedule and constant use.

Choosing The Right Tender

The choice of the right tender is is always a balancing act. There’s a very fine line when assessing function over fashion in some cases. Careful selection is paramount.

Can one tender do it all?

In most cases, no.

A 6m low profile garage tender is never going to suitable for transporting a boatload of guests in bad weather for any distance. Tenders stowed onboard will always be restricted by the space available, apart from on the very largest of yachts.

This, in turn, has resulted in the rapid growth of the chase tender market. These types of tenders add an extra dimension for owner and guest use, and are now reaching lengths of 20m+. Fast support boats that are not restricted by any dimensional considerations and are individually crewed to run alongside the mothership.

Predictions For The Industry’s Future

The obvious predictions for the future are that the industry will continue to grow and demand for more extravagant and unique tenders will increase.

• A higher percentage of the costs associated with a new build yacht are being assigned to the complement of yacht tenders. This clearly indicates that their importance is increasing
• Owners are demanding higher quality boats designed around their own tastes and preferences
• Manufacturers continue to push the boundaries, designs full of innovations and engineering excellence built for the worlds  most demanding and discerning buyers at a standard never seen before

Superyacht Tenders is the place to go for your next tender.

Email: info@superyachttenders.net

Phone: (London) +44 7756 867 806 OR (Barcelona) +34 659 556 991

To keep up to date with the latest Superyacht Content News, click here.

Sign up to our Newsletter below: