Tender Garage
A tender garage is an enclosed compartment built into a superyacht's hull or superstructure to stow tenders, jet skis, water toys and, on some yachts, a submersible. Garages sit at the stern, in the side hull, or on the foredeck, and on modern builds the emptied volume converts into a sea-level beach club.
What is a yacht tender garage?
A tender garage is the dedicated stowage compartment inside a yacht's hull or superstructure for her tender fleet and water toys. Three locations dominate. Stern garages, accessed through a hydraulic transom door, are the historical default and remain standard on yachts up to about 40m. Side-hull garages, with port or starboard doors and beam-crane launch, now dominate new-builds in the 35-60m range. Foredeck stowage is reserved for explorer yachts or any tender too large for an internal garage.
The garage becomes meaningful once the tender exceeds roughly six metres. Five launch mechanisms cover almost every yacht afloat: transom-door rail or dolly systems; hydraulic side-doors with beam cranes; dedicated swim-platform float-off; beach-club lifts; and floodable garages that pump in water and let the tender swim out.
Why it matters for yacht owners
For an owner, the garage is central to life at anchor. A modern cruising day runs on a fleet: limousine tender to shore, jet ski for the bay, SeaBobs and paddleboards off the swim platform, dive gear for the reef.
Commercially, the garage drives two value levers. A usable beach-club-integrated garage commands a measurable premium on both resale and the charter market. The buyer-education point is that a fixed stern garage cannot simply be "converted later": door geometry, launch rails, watertight integrity and class compliance under the REG Yacht Code are designed in from concept.
Key facts
- Three garage locations: stern (transom-door, default up to 40m), side-hull (beam-crane launch, dominant on 35-60m new-builds), and foredeck.
- Garage tenders typically cap at around six metres below 30m LOA; 30-50m yachts accommodate a 6-9m primary tender plus a PWC.
- Five launch mechanisms: transom rail or dolly, hydraulic side-door with beam crane, swim-platform float-off, beach-club lift, and floodable garage.
- Beach-club hybridisation is the defining 21st-century design move: Sanlorenzo SX series, Wider 150, Princess Y95, Heesen Book Ends.
- Hull-opening compliance under the REG Yacht Code covers watertight and weathertight integrity, plus intact and damaged stability.
- Typical fit-out: bilge drainage with oil-water separator, fresh-water wash-down, fuel transfer, 230V/110V charging outlets, dehumidification.
- Lürssen Octopus remains the reference point at scale, with a 36m floodable garage hosting a 16m tender and a 12m submersible.
Explore Motor Yachts 50-60 Meters
View moreFAQ
What is a tender garage on a yacht?
A tender garage is an enclosed compartment built into a superyacht's hull or superstructure to stow the tender, jet skis, water toys and, on some builds, a submersible. Modern designs increasingly double as a sea-level beach club once the tender is launched.
Where is the tender garage located on a yacht?
Three locations are standard. Stern garages dominate yachts up to about 40m. Side-hull garages are the default on 35-60m new-builds. Foredeck stowage is reserved for explorer yachts and oversize tenders.
How big a tender can fit in a yacht's tender garage?
On yachts under 30m, garage tenders are usually limited to about three to six metres. Yachts in the 30-50m range typically take a 6-9m primary tender plus a jet ski. Above 50m, multi-tender garages host 10m-plus limousine tenders.
What is the difference between a tender garage and a beach club?
A tender garage is a stowage compartment; a beach club is a sea-level social space at the stern. On contemporary superyachts they share the same volume: when the tender is launched, hydraulic doors convert the empty garage into a beach club.
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