SOLAS Tenders | Superyacht Tenders

Rescue craft and compliant tenders for commercially coded yachts.

Guide

SOLAS buyer notes

01

About solas

SOLAS tenders are specification-led: certification, launch and recovery, rescue role, and flag/class acceptance matter before finish. This category gathers new-build and pre-owned SOLAS-suitable craft for early-stage comparison.

What is a SOLAS rescue tender?
A coded survival craft built and certified to the lifesaving requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. It must launch in seconds, recover crew or passengers from the water up to its design sea state, and self-right after capsize on the larger hulls.
Which yachts need a SOLAS tender?
As a rule of thumb, any yacht above 500 GT (typically 50m and up) operating commercially carries SOLAS lifesaving requirements that include a rescue tender. Privately registered yachts below 500 GT may carry SOLAS-coded craft voluntarily; some flags such as Cayman REG, Marshall Islands and Malta have variable thresholds.
How big is a SOLAS rescue tender?
Three bands: 5 to 6.5m for yachts in the 50 to 70m range; 6.5 to 8m for 70 to 90m yachts, often dual-purpose rescue plus working tender; 8m+ on yachts above 90m. Self-righting is mandatory above 6m on most flags.
Can a SOLAS tender double as a guest tender?
Mid-size 6.5 to 8m units are sometimes run dual-purpose as SOLAS rescue plus working tender, but the construction, certification and permanent rigging requirements make a SOLAS unit a poor guest limousine. The common pattern is one dedicated SOLAS tender plus separate guest tenders.
What does SOLAS compliance cost to maintain?
Budget roughly EUR 10k to 20k per year in routine compliance on top of normal maintenance, with annual flag-state inspection and a five-year major refit cycle covering structural integrity, sealing, lifting-point recertification and equipment renewal.

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