Yacht Tenders & Small Rigid Inflatable Boats
RIB Tender Boats - Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tender on a boat?
A tender boat is a smaller vessel that provides assistance to a larger vessel or ‘mothership’ – most often a yacht. The name ‘tender’ is reflective of its purpose; it’s a boat that tends to the needs and requirements of a larger yacht or boat.
Learn more about tender boats and their styles in our guide to tenders.
How many people can a RIB tender boat hold?
The passenger capacity of a boat tender will come down to the size of the tender, the power it is rated up to, the activities you intend to do onboard, and what CE Certification the boat is classified under (i.e. whether it is a category A, B, C or D boat).
Here at Grand, our boat tenders from 3 metres and above have the capacity to hold at least four passengers, with capacity increasing with the boat’s size.
The Grand G420 tender boat, for instance, is rated up to 6 passengers. The Grand G380 tender boat is rated up to 5 passengers.
Take a look over the boat’s specifications in order to check how many people the tender is allowed to have onboard at one time.
How do you secure a tender to a boat?
The way you secure your tender to your yacht or boat will depend on where your tender is positioned on its mothership. For instance, some yachts may have a garage under the stern of their boat where a tender will sit; this will typically be hoisted up from the water using a winch, and secured using its mooring eyes and cleats.
Other yachts hoist their tenders onto their foredeck or the stern deck of their vessels. The use of integrated lifting eyes empowers the lifting and movement of tender to and from the water. Once on the boat, the tender will be secured using numerous lines.
You can learn more about the different ways tenders can be secured on their yachts in our guide to tenders.
Are inflatable tender boats good for beginners?
Grand RIB tender boats are a great choice for beginners and those wanting to start boating. They are quick and easy to drive and handle and manoeuvre easily thanks to their lightweight design. Moving around tight spaces is easier with a rigid inflatable boat as they are so responsive. The inflatable tubes make the boat very stable and act as shock absorbers – they make pulling up to a dock or another vessel much easier for learning beginners, as you don’t have to worry about potential damage like you would with a hard-hull boat.
A Grand RIB has been a first boat for many customers worldwide, as they truly are a great craft to learn boating. Smaller in size, our S470, S420 and S370 boats have proven popular choices for kids to learn boating on as well.
What tender boat is best for wakeboarding & waterskiing?
Many of Grand’s rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) are perfect for wakeboarding and waterskiing activities. The lightweight design of RIBs in particular makes these boats best for wakeboarding as they travel more efficiently and easily at high speeds.
All of our boats above 3.8m can be fitted with either a water ski tower or ski arch, making them suitable for wakeboarding, waterskiing and other inflatable towable activities. However, the Grand G420 and Grand S470 are particularly effective and nimble small wakeboarding tender boats.
Are RIB tender boats good for fishing?
Tender boats and small rigid inflatables make good boats for fishing, most notably due to their incredible stability. The inflatable tubes act as shock absorbers, and so you’ll enjoy a more comfortable ride across choppier conditions, and at your favourite fishing spot, you’ll enjoy a more stable and steady base to cast off from.
The spacious internal layout of tender boats by Grand ensures that there is ample space to store away your fishing equipment. Arches at the stern are also a great addition to our tender boats, and provide a way to store rods out of the way whilst out on the move. The total weight of the hull, tubes and materials is also much lighter, making these small tender boats an efficient and safe choice for fishing on the hunt.
Do you make custom yacht tenders?
At Grand Boats, we offer a broad range of rigid inflatable boats that serve effectively as yacht tenders thanks to their lightweight design and luxurious appearance and styling. Our yacht tenders range in length, starting at just 3 metres and going up to 5 metres+. Our Silver Line Range (including our S300, S330, S420, S470) are particularly lightweight and so often popular for use as tenders for sailing yachts. They are also available in three internal layout configurations (Base Model, Sport Model, Deluxe Model) and so can be styled to suit your needs.
Our Golden Line Range (including G340, G380, G420, G500) are premium and luxurious in design, making them a popular choice for yacht and superyacht owners worldwide. All of these small RIBs can also be customised with a number of individual offerings and additions, enabling you to configure them to suit your taste and preferences. Design your custom tender with our boat builder tool today, or get in touch with us to discuss further options for creating your custom yacht tender.
RIB Tenders Boats & Small Boat Tenders For Sale
Our range of premium yacht tenders and small RIB tender boats are handcrafted using quality world class materials and designed with practicality and comfort in mind. Whether you’re looking for a small inflatable dinghy boat for transport, river cruises or a premium tender boat, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in our fleet of rigid inflatable dinghies and boats.
If you’re looking for a tender boat for sailboats our S range of yacht tenders are ideal thanks to their optimised weight and spacing – these sailboat yacht tenders range from the S300 at 3m in length to the S470 at 4.7m.
These compact but lightweight inflatable small boat tenders make the most of their interior spacing, with wide deep-set seats and multiple storage compartments. With three variations of layouts to choose from, customise your internal layout to suit your preferences with our Sport variations or Deluxe variations.
Our Golden Line of premium super yacht RIB tender boats deliver a first-class ride to passengers, whether they’re travelling from yacht to shore, bay-hopping or transferring passengers. While these range of yacht tender boats are compact in size, space is optimised effectively and optimised with modern comforts.
Our bestselling custom yacht tender boats include our G340 tender at 3.4 metres in length, G420 at 4.2 metres in length and G500 at 5 metes in length. These RIB tender boats are just as perfect for family boat outings as they are boat tenders to luxury yachts and sailboats. These small rigid inflatable boats can be customised with ski poles, making them perfect for waterskiing and wakeboarding too.
If you’re looking for something larger, why not explore our range of mid-size leisure RIBs – perfect for family day trips on the water – or large adventure RIBs – packed with luxury features including water system, built-in toilets, fridges and more. As with all our premium rigid inflatable boats here at Grand, machine precision and skilled craftsmanship ensure quality underpins design decision-making at all touch points.
Still not sure what you’re looking for? Why not try our Build A Boat functionality to create the perfect boat to suit your lifestyle and intentions. Our guide on tenders may also help you navigate the world of tender boats, or get in touch with our team who can help you with our range of small tender boats.