About this tender
The Williams SOLAS 565 DieselJet is the build we specify when a programme aboard a yacht of 35 metres or more demands a fully compliant rescue and transfer tender without sacrificing the standard of finish the owner expects at the tender garage door. At 5.71m on the waterline with a 195hp Yanmar 4LV diesel driving a jet unit, it carries nine persons to SOLAS standard and keeps the hull dimensions manageable for most davit arrangements on yachts in the 35-to-50-metre bracket.
The GRP construction uses fire-retardant resin and gel coat throughout, and the deck and helm are fully watertight by design rather than by afterthought. SOLAS-specification tubes carry the required life line; the righting system is manually activated; the fuel system is capsize-protected; and an emergency manual tiller arm is standard. Williams has thought through the regulation requirements and built the compliance into the platform rather than bolting it on after the fact - which is precisely what a flag-state surveyor or MCA inspector wants to see.
Navigation equipment runs to a Raymarine Axiom 7-inch MFD with integrated depth sounder and chart plotter, VHF radio, a helm-mounted type-approved magnetic compass, and a position indicator light. The standard equipment list also includes FlexiTeek decking, LED deck lights, twin batteries with isolator, lifting strops, and a full SOLAS rescue equipment kit. Capsize regulations mean bimini and spray dodger options are not available on this model - a point worth confirming with your captain before specifying.
We would put the 565 alongside other jet-drive SOLAS tenders in the 5.5-to-6.0-metre class and note that the Williams jet propulsion system gives it a meaningful handling advantage in tight approaches and congested anchorages. The absence of an exposed propeller also removes one of the principal safety concerns on a vessel certified for rescue work. For yachts running a SOLAS tender as a regulatory requirement and wanting it to perform as a proper day-to-day launch as well, the 565 DieselJet is a coherent choice.
Highlights
The four details we'd point out first to a captain who hasn't seen one on the water yet.
The 565 ships with SOLAS-specification tubes and life line, a capsize-protected fuel system, manually activated righting system, emergency manual tiller arm, and a complete SOLAS rescue equipment kit. Compliance is built into the platform, not retrofitted - which matters when a flag-state surveyor comes aboard.
A single Yanmar 4LV diesel rated at 195hp drives a jet unit rather than a propeller. The jet configuration removes exposed rotating parts at the transom, an important consideration on a vessel used for rescue and man-overboard work, and delivers the manoeuvrability Williams jet drives are known for in confined anchorages.
Standard fitment includes a Raymarine Axiom 7-inch MFD with integrated depth sounder and chart plotter, VHF radio, helm-mounted type-approved magnetic compass, and a position indicator light. The helm and deck are fully watertight by construction. All instrumentation is standard rather than optional on the SOLAS variant.
The 565 is certified for nine persons under SOLAS requirements - sufficient for a substantive crew transfer or rescue operation on a 35-to-50-metre yacht programme. At 5.71m LOA and 1,484kg dry, it sits within the lifting envelope of most A-frame davit arrangements specified for yachts in that size range.
FlexiTeek synthetic decking is standard, along with a fully watertight helm console and deck construction, gripped boarding step pads, a stainless steel boarding pole, multiple boarding points, and under-seat storage. The finish level is consistent with what owners expect from the Williams range rather than a pared-back safety fit-out.
Gallery
The full specification
Specifications, prices, availability, and performance figures are supplied for guidance only and remain subject to confirmation by the yard, seller, broker, survey, contract, and final specification.
Questions, answered
Last call · Available
Williams · Oxfordshire, UK
Tell us about your yacht, your programme, and the missions SOLAS 565 needs to handle. We come back within 48 hours with a written assessment - fit for the brief, lead time, and trade-offs against alternatives in the same band.
Prefer to talk? +44 (0) 77180 88055 · other ways to reach us
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