Here are 5 superyacht tenders to impress your friends with
YOUR superyacht is obviously a great place to chill on, but what most owners don’t realise is that the stock tenders – usually jet-powered rubber dhingies, jetskis or even a couple of powercraft – can be swapped out for far more interesting toys that add some adrenaline-pumping action to your great escape.
Good news: as the yachting culture catches on in the Asia Pacific, these zany firms have become increasingly creative as well. Take a gander at what’s available these days.
01: Fly Iron-Man style with arm and leg-mounted water jets
This tops the list easily. Whoever says no to blasting off to heights as high as 12m and looping-the-loop must hate having fun.
The folks at Zapata Racing have come up with Flyboard and Jetpack – two setups that utilise high-pressure water jets to propel you high into the air (or torpedo you through the water). The latter is better suited for beginners, as you’ll be able to jet upwards in a seated position, relying less on your abilty to balance.
As it so happens this can be attached to any of your superyacht’s existing jet-skis, so you already have half the kit on-board. Zapata’s been at it for over half a decade, all the while refining the contraptions. There are now even different types of hoses to better suit advanced users who want to perform tricks.
02: Deep dive in comfort with your own mini-submarine
Sure, you may be a certified diver, but not all of your dozen guests are going to be. If you’re taking your ride out to anywhere near the beautiful reefs in the Pacific waters (the increasingly popular Raja Ampat comes to mind), pack along one of U-Boat Worx‘s subs so your friends can share in the wonderment.
Essentially a safe, clear viewing pod with an air supply and propulsion systems, the easy-to-control submarines (in this case the Super Yacht Sub 3) seat up to two passengers and one ‘operator’ comfortably. Of course, modern comforts such as air-conditioning and the option to blast music from your personal device are also at hand.
03: Set up a safe dipping pool
The uninitiated will raise an eyebrow at installing a pool while in the midst of the ocean. These inflatable ones from FunAir make a lot more sense once you’ve encountered the chief culprit of prematurely-concluded expeditions everywhere: the dreaded jellyfish sting.
To rule out the annoying and painful possibility, simply throw the netted inflatable into the water and get it fully ready with the included FunAir pump, which will take less than an hour. Voila, drag out a few deck chairs and enjoy your personal mini-beach in the middle of nowhere, while those who fancy a dip in the warm waters can frolic within the literal safe space.
P.S. These guys also make a bunch of other ingenious inflatables – yacht golf islands, rock-climbing “walls”, trampoline platform