For many guests, the tender and the water toys are what they remember most about a charter. The main yacht is your floating hotel, but it is the tender that carries you ashore for dinner, the paddleboards that fill lazy afternoons, and the Seabob that turns a quiet bay into an adventure. Knowing what to expect — and what to ask for — helps you get the most from your time on the water.
What is available on board scales closely with the size and type of yacht you charter, so it is worth discussing your wish list with your broker early.
What is a tender and why does it matter?
A tender is a smaller boat carried by a yacht to transport guests and crew to and from shore, between anchorages, or out on trips of its own. Because many of the most beautiful spots on a charter have no berth for the main yacht, the tender is effectively your gateway to the coastline.
The size, speed and comfort of the tender can shape your whole experience. A cramped or slow tender means hot, bumpy transfers; a good one makes every shore excursion feel effortless.
How tender size and type scale with the yacht
As a broad guide, here is what you can typically expect at different yacht sizes:
- Under 24m (80ft): Usually a single RIB (rigid inflatable boat) of around 4–5m, plus perhaps a small crew tender. Great for lively day trips and water-skiing, but less suited to formal dinners ashore.
- 24m–40m (80ft–130ft): A larger RIB or a small hard tender, often around 5–7m, sometimes with a canvas canopy. Better comfort for longer transfers and more carrying capacity.
- 40m–60m (130ft–200ft): Typically a dedicated limo tender — a sleek, enclosed boat with cushioned seating for up to eight guests — plus a second support tender or RIB.
- Over 60m (200ft): A chase boat or large limo tender, often 10m or more, plus multiple support tenders. Some of the largest yachts carry a fully custom tender designed to match the mothership.
RIBs, limo tenders and chase boats
The three most common tender types serve quite different purposes. A RIB is light, fast and fun — ideal for energetic water sports, quick trips and exploring rocky coves. A limo tender prioritises comfort, with enclosed seating, a canopy and often air conditioning, so you arrive ashore composed and dry. A chase boat, carried by the largest yachts, is a sizeable vessel in its own right and can run ahead to prepare anchorages, carry extra toys, or simply give guests a change of pace.
Water toys: what you'll find on board
Water toys scale with yacht size too, and the inventory is often listed on the yacht's specification sheet:
- Every charter: paddleboards, snorkelling gear, basic towable toys and often a kayak or two.
- Mid-size yachts (30m+): the above plus a Seabob or similar underwater scooter, wakeboards, water skis, inflatable towables and a donut or ringo.
- Larger yachts (50m+): jetskis, flyboards, inflatable slides and climbing walls, banana boats, and sometimes scuba diving equipment with a qualified dive instructor on the crew.
- The largest yachts: the full catalogue, including submersibles, personal submarines, hovercraft, kite-surfing equipment and purpose-built dive centres.
Safety and licensing considerations
It is easy to get carried away by the toy list, but a few practical points matter. In many jurisdictions, jetskis and other powered watercraft require a licence or a minimum age, and in some countries guests are not permitted to operate them at all — the crew must drive. Your captain will brief you on the local rules at each destination.
Crew supervision is standard for all powered toys, and reputable yachts carry the appropriate safety equipment for each activity. Listen to the crew briefing; it exists to keep you safe and to protect the toys for the next charter.
How to request specific toys
The single most effective way to make sure your charter has the toys you want is to tell your broker during the preference-sheet stage. The preference sheet is the questionnaire you complete before the charter, covering dietary needs, itinerary wishes, favourite activities and any specific equipment you hope to use.
If a particular toy is essential to your trip — a Seabob, a jetski, scuba gear — your broker can confirm whether it is carried on board, or in some cases arrange for it to be rented locally and delivered to the yacht before you arrive.
Why asking your broker matters
Tender and toy inventories change as yachts are refitted and upgraded, and what appears on a brochure may not always match what is actually on board on your dates. A good broker will verify the current inventory with the yacht's central agent and flag any gaps before you commit.
Tell us how you like to spend your days on the water, and we will match you to a yacht whose tender deck and toy locker are built around exactly that.