THE TENDER

More thought goes into the choice of a tender than any other piece of equipment aboard the cruising yacht. It is no wonder, as this tool will be used, hour for hour, more than the mother ship in typical island hopping activities. The tender will be asked to provide a variety of functions; maintenance barge, water taxi, life raft, fishing boat, fish processor, tug boat, research vessel, racing, and moving about just for the fun of it.
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The Debate

Much breath and ink has been expelled on the subject of the perfect tender. But it boils down to personal taste. Some believe the largest, fastest, most expensive, loudest and largest wake is the only way to water that poodle on shore in the morning. Some are just the opposite and choose a tender with a maximum 1" freeboard and a bail bucket that is used more than the 2X4 that is used for a paddle.

The Choice

Weighing the pros and cons for years, we use no less than three approaches to this subject. All are powered by human or wind and are available for charter.

None. There are times during the off-season we cruise from dock to dock. They are short passages and there is no concern for dock space. It is nice not having to deal with a tow or hoist to deck.
Inflatable. Easy and flexible, it stows below, or on deck with ease. Carried up the beach is no problem. Great boat for a kid to learn to row. Inflatables are at a disadvantage in wind and chop, fish spines will pop it. Capacity is about 600#. We use an Achillies L-2. This would be our offshore tender.
The Bauer 10. Balance, is the best one word description. Rowing, sailing, and capacity, all what a boat should be in terms of performance and lines. We have put 4 adults, 2 weeks laundry, and groceries aboard with room to spare. We then sailed back to the mother ship in 15 knots of wind a half mile away with no more effort than steering. We have passed many Inflatables that were under power. The gunter rig stows tidy and fast, and is towable, rigged. The down side is cost (but there is value), more susceptible to damage on the beach or tied to the mother ship. Towing will add the extra precautions of checking the painter, and the banging when laying a hull, or trolling in seas. Also you will endure catcalls, compliments, and questions about this boat daily. Visit the site Bauteck Marine Corporation, Inc. for this boat; it is one of the few that is not just hype. Best boat I have seen in twenty years, coast to coast..

The Outboard

Often times less is more. We are inundated with noise pollution daily. Being sailors we love the quiet the Sailing Yacht offers under way. Why spoil it in harbor when how much longer will it take to get to shore anyway? And what about free exercise, saving gas, handling the motor, (spares, fuel, tool stowage) gas fumes, and of course the lovely noise they produce...no thanks.

Stroke, Stroke, Stroke

My wife's first impression of our new tender was a little different from mine. She prides herself thru exercise, watching what she eats, and dresses to look less than the forty years she is. We would enter an anchorage, drop the hook and Pat would row to shore to run errands. On the way in, she noticed more than usual, whistles and on-lookers. Thinking all the work she put in her body paid off, she would return to the boat to tell us how friendly everyone is here. Earlier she heard mumbles of nice lines, sweet, smooth, and such, but what spilled the beans was a comment"nice dink".

She came back to the boat brokenhearted, but I told her that I always thought she was more beautiful than that dink she was pulling.
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Contact: Brad Gislason
at ISLAND CHARTERS
861 #2 Schoolhouse Rd.
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
Phone 360-378-4860 · FAX 360-378-5982
Email bradgis@rockisland.com

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