Spotlight: Love me tender

Far from the days of longboats, whaleboats and rowboats, today’s tenders have morphed into super-cool craft that ably reflect the high calibre of mothership moored out yonder.

But no longer just taxis for the shore party, the latest tenders are stylish, sporty, fast and capable craft that open up a whole new realm of boating possibilities.

From accessing distant waterfront digs to hitting the general store for the daily paper; from towing the tykes on tubes to picking up a new load of passengers, tenders fulfil a multitude of essential boating duties. They are also great learning platforms for budding bosuns -- what greater sight than a bunch of youngsters puttering about the anchorage in a tender? Consider adding a prop guard if you’re going to cast the kids adrift.

But whereas the ubiquitous rubber ducky has been de rigueur for decades, the latest tenders have taken a turn for the better, becoming bona-fide boats with dedicated helm stations, plush seating, even amenities like freshwater showers. Propelled by trends on the Med’, tenders have become status symbols to flaunt alongside your cruiser, tie outside the taverna and be seen aboard. Remember: you will be judged by your tender.

Liam O’Halloran from Sirocco Marine South, a specialised inflatable-boat outlet, says tenders have become such important parts of boaters’ lives that he’s now fitting aftermarket backrests to helm seats to make them more comfortable for cruising. A couple of recent new tender owners have put in four hours on Sydney Harbour, he says, adding that the latest virtually smoke-free and silent four-stroke outboard engines make boating for extended periods totally agreeable.

But it’s thanks to the advent of transom garages, hydraulic swim platforms and slewing davits and derricks that launching and retrieving a tender is no longer a chore. Even those roll-up inflatable tenders have become smarter craft these days, with veed-hull sections for an improved ride and firm inflatable floors instead of the old pesky wooden slats.

O’Halloran says rather than buying a new boat, Sydney boaters are accessorising their pre-existing craft and a new tender heads the shopping list. Boat manufacturers now realise as much, designing dedicated transom tender garages and providing storage on yachts where there was previously none.

This brings us to the BRIG Falcon 330 HL. The baby in the best-selling European brand’s luxury tender line-up epitomises the new class of tender. Teaming light but strong construction with a smart moulded centre console and electric-start outboard, the BRIG is a joy to command. A great turn of speed, sportsboat-like handling and electric trim add to the user-friendly experience.

A cut above your average vinyl tender, the BRIG boasts superior hypalon sponsons using Orca fabric sourced from France. Backed by a five-year warranty, the Falcon 330 HL allows cruiser owners like Yours Truly to hoist the tender with their existing 200kg-lift davit. With an electric-start 20hp Honda outboard, battery and fuel tank, the rig's dry weight is just 164kg. So it will happily ride on the foredeck of a Rivera 40, for example.

Options on the test boat included bilge pump, navigation lights, the aforesaid backrest on the seat, and a Permatrim plate on the outboard to improve low-speed planing and acceleration. With the outboard trimmed in about three-quarters and this writer aboard, the boat will rocket to a top speed of more than 22 knots. The supplied stainless steel prop helps provide grip rather than slip in tight turns.

Meanwhile, the bow includes sub-seat storage for an anchor, the battery and remote 25-litre fuel tank are carried beneath the centre console, where the helm seat can easily take a couple and doubles as dry storage. All told, the boat has a four-person capacity and seating, with abundant handy grab and rope handles nearby.

There’s also quick-drain plug should you ship water and need to empty it.

Within minutes from the boat ramp, we’ve traced the shoreline in the Falcon 330 HL and are within shouting distance of Hugos at Manly Wharf. This is exactly the kind of destination that covets attention when you have a decent tender. Pull the ducky up the beach and do lunch overlooking your boat. Then scoot away as the landlubbers look on with tender envy.

Priced from $13,990 drive away with a Honda 20hp, the BRIG Falcon 330 HL represents a leap forward in tender design. But if the sky’s the limit, the dealer has the latest UK-made Williams jet tender with optional 80hp Weber engine for around $43K for 50mph top speed. We’re told some Sydney boaters even run 650 or 780 BRIGs with a 300hp outboard as their tender. Imagine the mothership.