Are Hovercraft the Perfect Superyacht Tender?

Traditional superyacht tenders have propellers that get snagged on underwater obstacles, manatees, sea turtle, coral, and they don’t work so well over sand or mud

The alternative is says Mike Glanville of Hovpod is “Get a hovercraft!”

Introducing the world’s first production hovercraft to exploit the properties of Carbon Fibre / Kevlar composite / HDPE  he says “Have no propellers to get snagged.

Hovercraft travel over any flat surface at speeds up to 40 mph. Built-in air suspension makes for a comfortable ride as you glide 9 inches above the surface, the layer of air protects the occupants from jolts and spinal workouts you suffer with a traditional boat tender.

Hovercraft are great for guest entertainment – they float on air so can do 180 turns or 360 spins – just drive up the beach or slipway and step out on terra firmer.

They fly at a typical cruising height of 8 inches over any flat surface and reach the parts that others fear to tread – if the tide is out, just fly, up the beach.

One of the first yachts to employ a hovercraft as a tender was Exuma the first of the Vitruivius Series yachts.

Wew asked the ower if it had been a success. He answered “No leaving the boat you get covered in sea spray and as you go up the beach you get covered in sand. You get off the thing covered in a crisp coating of grit”

“Where is it now?” we asked.

“Where it belongs….at the bottom of the ocean”

Nuff said!