What are the on-board stowage options for a tender?

Three configurations dominate: garage stowage, side-launch and stern-launch. A garage keeps the tender internal on chocks with cradles or strapping, launched through a side door, tilting transom or floodable bay, and the better-engineered yachts run dehumidification and ventilation in there. Side-launch puts larger tenders on deck cradles handled by an A-frame or hydraulic davit, fully exposed and needing storm covers and UV protection. Stern-launch is common on chase platforms above 12m, using a transom platform or flooded stern bay. The mothership's geometry sets the answer; you do not retrofit a garage into a yacht that does not have one.

Where should a limousine tender go for the off-season?

Indoor heated storage at a specialist marine warehouse is the default specification for premium limousine and chase tenders, on climate control and security grounds. That market sits in Antibes, Palma, Genoa, the Solent and South Florida. The alternatives are staying alongside the mothership at the refit yard, which is convenient when the timing aligns but adds yard cost on the tender's account; trailer storage, which works well and costs less than indoor wet storage for tenders under roughly 9m; and hard-stand outdoor storage, the cheapest option and suitable for working tenders and RIBs that tolerate UV exposure.

What is the cheapest way to move a tender between cruising grounds?

Trailered road transport is the cheapest method for tenders under 12m and 14 tonnes, and cross-Europe moves such as Antibes to the Solent or Palma to Northern Italy are routine on standard yacht-transport trailers, flat-decked or on custom cradles. For ocean crossings the standard route is a yacht transport ship dock-to-dock with DYT, Sevenstar or Peters & May, riding on deck or in the hold under standard cargo insurance terms. Carrying the boat on the mothership's deck is effectively free but limited by the yacht's lift and stowage capacity. Container shipping suits RIBs under 5m and jet tenders only.

Can I leave the tender fuelled through winter?

Diesel tenders can sit fuelled through winter without issue, with a stabiliser added for long lay-ups. Petrol tenders should be drained or run dry before extended storage, because phase separation in ethanol-blended pump fuel is the silent killer of outboard fuel systems. Alongside fuel, disconnect or float-charge batteries through any layover longer than two weeks, freshwater-flush jet tenders and outboards before any layover longer than a week, antifoul as needed and give the hull a full wax before extended dry storage.

Does the tender's existing insurance cover storage and transit?

Usually not without separate riders. Storage and transit typically need their own riders on the standard yacht-tender insurance, and that should be confirmed before the boat moves rather than after. When the tender travels on a yacht transport ship, the cover applied to the voyage itself is standard cargo terms, which is a different basis from the policy the tender runs under in service.

Tender Storage & Transport | Superyacht Tenders

Tenders spend more time stored than they do running. How they are stored, where, and how they move between locations all matter for hull life, finish quality, drivetrain reliability, and the cost line on the annual operating budget. This page covers the practical decisions on both.

On-board storage

For tenders that live on the mothership most of the year, three configurations dominate:

Garage stowage. Internal tender garage opening to the side or stern. The tender sits on chocks, secured with cradles or strapping. Climate-controlled to varying degrees; the better-engineered yachts maintain dehumidification and ventilation in the garage. The boat is launched and recovered through a side door, a tilting transom, or a floodable bay.
Side-launch. Larger tenders that do not fit a garage are stored on deck cradles at the side, launched and recovered by an A-frame or hydraulic davit. Fully exposed to weather; needs storm covers and proper UV protection.
Stern-launch. Common on chase platforms above 12m. The tender lives on a transom platform or in a flooded stern bay. Easy launch and recovery; more exposure than internal stowage.

The choice is set by the mothership's geometry; you do not retrofit a garage into a yacht that does not have one.

Off-season storage

When the mothership lays up for winter or the tender comes off for refit, four storage options:

Yacht refit yard. The tender stays alongside the mothership through the refit. Convenient if the timing aligns; adds yard cost on the tender's account.
Specialist tender storage. Indoor heated storage at a specialist marine warehouse. The right answer for premium tenders that need climate control and security. Common in Antibes, Palma, Genoa, the Solent, and South Florida.
Trailer storage. For tenders under ~9m that can be road-trailered, owner-controlled or yard-controlled trailer storage works well and is cheaper than indoor wet storage.
Hard-stand outdoor storage. Cheapest; suitable for working tenders and RIBs that tolerate UV exposure. Cover well if you go this route.

For premium limousine and chase tenders, indoor heated storage is the default specification.

Transport between locations

Three movement methods, in order of cost:

Trailered road transport. The cheapest option for tenders under 12m and 14 tonnes. Standard yacht-transport trailers handle both flat-decked and custom cradles. Cross-Europe road moves (Antibes to the Solent, Palma to Northern Italy) are routine.
Yacht transport ship (dock-to-dock). DYT, Sevenstar, Peters & May. The standard route for moving between cruising grounds (Med to Caribbean, Caribbean to US east coast). Tenders ride on deck or in the hold; insurance is standard cargo terms.
On the mothership's deck. Free, in the sense that the yacht is moving anyway. Limited by the mothership's lift and stowage capacity; works for the tenders that already live there.

Long-distance container shipping is occasionally used for very small tenders (RIBs under 5m, jet tenders) but is not the standard solution above that size.

Practical operational notes

A short list of things that recur:

Fuel storage. Diesel tenders can sit fuelled through winter without issue (with a stabiliser in long lay-ups). Petrol tenders should be drained or run dry before extended storage; phase separation in ethanol-blended pump fuel is the silent killer of outboard fuel systems.
Battery management. Disconnect or float-charge through any layover longer than two weeks.
Hull treatment. Antifoul as needed; full hull wax before any extended dry storage.
Drivetrain flush. Jet tenders and outboards should be freshwater-flushed before any layover longer than a week.
Insurance. Storage and transit usually need separate riders on the standard yacht-tender insurance. Confirm before the boat moves.

How we help

We coordinate transport bookings, indoor storage placements, and seasonal moves alongside the standard tender management work. The starting point is the contact page.