Definition
A SOLAS tender is a rescue-coded boat carried as part of a yacht's lifesaving appliances, type-approved to meet SOLAS rescue boat requirements on commercial vessels and on yachts certified under PYC.
Background and use
Once a passenger-carrying yacht crosses 500 GT and operates commercially, SOLAS Chapter III obligations bring in a designated rescue boat, separate from any guest tender. This boat must launch within five minutes of the order, recover an unconscious person from the water, run for at least four hours at six knots fully loaded, and operate in the worst sea state the yacht is approved for. In practice that means a self-righting RIB, with diesel power, davit-launched, and stowed ready for instant deployment.
Builders such as Norsafe (now Survitec), Palfinger, Ribcraft, Vanguard Inflatables, and Maritime Partner produce type-approved SOLAS rescue boats from 5.5 to 8.5 m. Most are aluminium-hulled with hypalon or PU collars, twin-engine for redundancy or single diesel inboard with hand-start backup, and equipped with full grab-line and recovery kit.
Some yards combine the SOLAS function with a usable crew tender by carrying a slightly upmarket dual-purpose boat, but the regulator's appetite for that approach varies. Most operations carry a dedicated SOLAS unit alongside a separate guest fleet because mixing roles complicates survey, certification, and crew drills.
Related considerations
- Self-righting capability is mandatory for fast rescue boats above 8 m.
- Davit launch must be demonstrable in 20 to 30 degree heel.
- Crew must hold a Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats (PFRB) certificate.
- Annual hammer-test of lifting points is non-negotiable.
- Refurb cycle is typically 5 years, full replacement 10 to 15.