Yacht tenders: how to choose the perfect one
Published on 17 July 2026
Jet or propeller, garage or davits, 3 or 5 metres: the guide to choosing your yacht's tender without expensive buying mistakes.
Start with stowage, not with the tender
The reality of owning a yacht tender comes down to one question: where does the tender live?
| Stowage | Real limit | Recommended tender type |
|---|---|---|
| Stern garage | Garage length and height, to the cm | Compact jet tender |
| Hydraulic platform | Platform’s maximum weight | Light RIB (aluminium or carbon) |
| Davits / cabin top | Hoisting weight | Small ultralight RIB |
| Towed / chase boat | None | Large RIB or day boat in its own right |
Jet tender or outboard: the big decision
Waterjet propulsion — Williams and Castoldi dominate this segment:
- No exposed propeller: total safety with swimmers and children in the water.
- Less draft and less overall length: fits in garages where an outboard won’t.
- Sporty and fun (skiing, wakeboarding).
- In exchange: specialist maintenance, lower efficiency at low speed and a premium price (from ~€30,000 for the smallest model).
Classic outboard — from Highfield to Navisoul:
- Universal mechanics: any coastal workshop can service it.
- Better consumption and range; far lower purchase price.
- In exchange: an exposed propeller (care in swim areas) and more overall length.
Practical rule: garage → jet; davits or platform → outboard. The jet only justifies its premium when space or in-water safety demand it.
Size by yacht length
Honest guidance (there’s no exact rule — stowage rules):
- 10–14 m yacht: 2.4–3.2 m tender on davits or platform. Every kilo counts here: look at aluminium (Alum 270DD, GALA Atlantis Lite) or light fibreglass (265L).
- 14–20 m yacht: 3.2–4 m with console (390B) or the first compact jet if there’s a garage.
- 20 m+ yacht / superyacht: a serious jet tender (Williams, Castoldi), carbon tenders (Aspen) or a full luxury chase boat (Anvera, 10 to 16 metres of Italian carbon).
The reference brands, in one table
| Brand | Strong at | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Williams | Jet tenders for garages | €€€€€ |
| Castoldi | Robust / SOLAS jet tenders | €€€€€ |
| Highfield | Aluminium RIBs, world #1 in tenders | €€€ |
| Aspen | Carbon catamaran tenders | €€€€ |
| Anvera | Carbon chase boats 10-16 m | €€€€€ |
| Navisoul | Customisable value RIBs | €€ |
| GALA | Affordable aluminium tenders | €€ |
We have head-to-head comparisons of all of them.
The three expensive tender-buyer mistakes
- Buying the tender before measuring the garage. With the door closed, height included. Jets exist precisely because centimetres rule.
- Ignoring davit weight. A tender 40 kg heavier can force you to replace the davits entirely: the “cheap” one gets expensive.
- Buying PVC for a tender that lives hoisted in the sun. There’s no shade on deck: Hypalon or carbon, always.
A fixed quote within 24 hours
Tell us your yacht, where you’ll stow the tender and how many are aboard, and we’ll send a specific recommendation with a fixed price — from our ranges or, if your case calls for a jet or a carbon boat, honest guidance without selling you anything. Ask for your recommendation here.