Chase Boats | Superyacht Tenders

A separate hull that follows a superyacht under its own power, with its own fuel, its own crew and its own programme of work. It is not a tender: a tender is launched from the mothership and lives in the garage, whereas a chase boat ties up alongside and meets the yacht at the next anchorage on its own keel.

Three brackets: 8 to 11m (large RIB or centre console, dayboat capability, crew of one or two); 11 to 15m (the typical real chase boat, day-runs to 200nm); 15 to 20m (small yachts in their own right, 400 to 600nm, often co-flagged with the mothership). Beyond 20m the asset is a shadow yacht, not a chase boat.

Before transport, refit and the typical 18 to 24 month commissioning tail: 8 to 11m 400,000 to 1,500,000 EUR; 11 to 15m 1,500,000 to 5,000,000 EUR; 15 to 20m 5,000,000 to 15,000,000 EUR.

Tenders live in the garage and are launched from the mothership; chase boats live alongside, run their own crew and follow under power. The crossover is around 11 to 14 metres. If the programme needs trans-ocean repositioning the asset is a shadow vessel, not a chase boat.

Yes, at least one permanent operator, usually a chase boat captain with a deckhand seconded from the yacht. Most run on private flag with a single operator; once charter income enters the picture the boat usually has to come into commercial certification or stop earning.