A yacht tender is the small boat that does the actual work of a superyacht programme: moving owner, guests, crew, provisions and toys between the mothership and shore. "Tender to" a named yacht is the formal way the relationship is written, the tender is subordinate to, and operated from, the larger vessel.
On a privately registered yacht the word is used loosely for everything launched from the garage or stowed on deck, including the watersports RIB and the beach toy. On a commercially registered yacht the line is sharper: flag and class rules apply specific carriage and rescue obligations to the boats listed on the safety equipment certificate, which is why a SOLAS tender is treated differently from a guest limousine tender.
For specification, tenders are grouped into the categories that drive design, enclosed limousines, open tenders, RIBs, beach landers, SOLAS rescue craft, and chase boats. Most yachts carry two or three, not one. The superyacht tenders overview covers the categories, costs and the decisions that drive garage fit and certification; the best superyacht tenders guide covers who builds the strongest boat in each category. For the plain-English explainer, including why a boat is called a tender and the other names for one, read what a yacht tender is.