A family day-boat chase boat is the most common chase brief on yachts in the 40m to 70m range. It is the boat the family actually uses: lunch trips, beach days, water-skiing, paddleboard runs, the after-dinner tour of the bay. It is not the SOLAS rescue craft, it is not the dispatch chase, and it is not the expedition platform. It is the daily-driver tender with chase-boat capability.
What the brief looks like
Most owners describe it the same way: "We want a boat the kids and the friends can actually run, that can keep up with the toys, and that we can take out for lunch on a hot day without having to wake the captain." Translated:
- Operability. Twin-engine, joystick docking, intuitive helm. Captain can hand the boat over to a competent guest without anxiety.
- Speed. 40 to 50 knots top speed, 25 to 30 knot cruise. Enough to keep up with a tow-toy run; not so much that fuel burn dominates the day.
- Layout. Open or T-Top configuration, big sun-pad forward, U-shaped lounge aft, wet bar in the cockpit, swim platform with boarding ladder. Real seating for 8 to 12.
- Practical capacity. Cooler, freezer, freshwater shower on the swim platform, secure stowage for phones and bags. A small head with a curtain.
- Quiet at rest. Generator-free quiet on the hook, with a battery bank that runs the fridge and music for a four-hour lunch stop.
Sizes that match the brief
The sweet spot is 10m to 13m. Anything smaller starts to limit the seating and the toy capacity; anything larger starts to need a captain on every outing.
In that band, the recurring shortlist:
- Wajer 38 / 38 S. Dutch-built premium day boat, twin Volvo IPS, exceptional fit and finish.
- Wally Tender 43X. Italian carbon platform, more outright performance, more captain-required.
- Vanquish VQ40 / VQ45. Aluminium build, outboard or sterndrive, increasingly common in the family-friendly chase brief.
- Axopar 37 Sun Top with the V10 350 package. The budget anchor; simpler than the others but capable in the role.
- Frauscher 1212 Ghost. Smaller, more design-forward, popular with owners who want presence as well as function.
Where the brief diverges from a "true" chase boat
Three places:
- Range. A family day boat does not need 250nm range; 100 to 150nm is plenty for most operating patterns.
- Sea-state capability. Less critical; most family use is in calm to Force 4 conditions, and an offshore-rated chase brief is over-spec for the role.
- Crew envelope. Captain on call rather than always-on. A family day boat is happy with one crew, sometimes none on short hops.
How we help
We work this brief most often. The shortlist depends on the mothership's garage or davit capacity, the cruising ground, and the budget envelope; we usually present a three-boat comparison after a written intake call. The starting point is the contact page.