A tender is a small boat used to get to and from a larger boat, a mooring, or the shore. If your boat is on a mooring out in the water or anchored off, you need a way to reach land, and that small boat is the tender. On smaller boats people call it a dinghy; on a superyacht the tender might be a serious powerboat in its own right. Either way, the job is the same: it is the ferry between your main boat and dry land.
This guide explains what a tender is, the common types, and why so much of boating depends on having one, especially where boats are kept on moorings rather than at a dock.
- A tender is a small boat that ferries people and supplies between a larger boat, a mooring, or shore.
- On small boats it is usually called a dinghy; on large yachts a tender can be a substantial powerboat.
- Tenders are essential wherever boats are moored or anchored rather than tied to a dock.
- Common types include inflatables, RIBs, hard dinghies, and purpose-built yacht tenders.
- Marinas support tenders with dinghy docks, tender storage, and, in mooring fields, a launch service.
#Why boaters need a tender
The need for a tender comes down to how a boat is kept. A boat in a marina berth steps straight onto a dock, so no tender is required. But a boat on a mooring or at anchor sits out in the water, and the only way to reach it, or to get ashore from it, is a small boat. That is why moorings and anchoring go hand in hand with owning a tender. For large yachts, the tender also carries guests, supplies, and toys when the mother ship is too big to come alongside.
#Common types of tender
Tenders range from a simple inflatable to a small yacht.
- Inflatable dinghy: light, packable, and cheap, the default for many cruisers.
- RIB (rigid inflatable boat): a solid hull with inflatable tubes, more capable and common as a serious tender.
- Hard dinghy: a small rigid rowing or sailing boat, simple and durable.
- Yacht tender: on superyachts, a purpose-built powerboat, sometimes stowed in a dedicated garage in the hull.
#Tenders and the marina
Marinas and harbors that offer moorings have to plan for tenders. That means a dinghy dock where boaters can tie up their tenders when they come ashore, somewhere to store tenders, and often a launch service, a marina-run boat that ferries boaters out to their moorings so they do not need their own tender at all. This is a core part of running a mooring field, and it shapes the amenities a mooring-based harbor provides.
If you run moorings, tenders are part of the picture: dinghy docks, tender storage, and often a launch service. Marine OS manages mooring fields alongside slips, so you can assign moorings, bill them, and keep the records a tender-and-launch operation needs. It is in early access with operators.
Run your mooring field in one system
Marine OS handles moorings, slips, billing, and records for harbors that serve tender-based boaters. It is in early access with a 7-day free trial, no credit card required.
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#Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
For related terms, see what a mooring is and what a mooring field is.
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