The perennial issue of space on board yachts (even in the largest segment of the market) has encouraged more and more owners to explore the reality of truly multi-functional tenders. James Burroughs, managing director of Ribeye, speaks to The Superyacht Report to discuss the manufacturer’s SOLAS rescue tenders, and highlights how the tender builder is fulfilling bespoke client requests with its adaptable crafts.  

As the market sees more options for owners seeking SOLAS rescue tenders, Burroughs believes that the brand’s high level of customisation is what sets Ribeye apart. “Our approach to rescue tenders is to offer a large degree of flexibility. We work with the client to create a layout that meets all of their specific requirements . We ensure that the tender isn’t just a dedicated rescue tender but can be used for many things on board. And as we understand that the RIB tender is often the workhorse of the tender fleet, so all our vessels are engineered with absolute reliability.”  

Burroughs explains that many of the traditional rescue boats have fixed general arrangements and features from an established design with minimal allowance for changes. “There are other companies in the yacht market that are building rescue tenders, but they tend to be ones that have developed the platform and the layout is fixed. With our range, we offer different options and can integrate tailored features for clients. For example, recently we built a tender that was acting as the submarine communication vessel, so it had to have those capabilities, it had to be a SOLAS tender, it had to be a crew vessel, and it needed to have the facilities for water sports on it, but equally it had that specific requirement that we worked around.” 

With Ribeye's current order book build times are between six and nine months, and as with all Ribeye crafts, it is designed, engineered and built in Great Britain to the highest standards. “We focus on high volume, very capable, offshore hull forms, which means that they are very smooth, dry riding and comfortable. Even though we might build a tender focused on crew services – which is also a fully certified rescue vessel – we still finish them to guest standard,” remarks Burroughs. 

The Ribeye team have received many accolades and awards for their contributions to the UK marine industry. In 2019 Ribeye was awarded the esteemed title of Maritime Business of the Year by Maritime UK and in 2021 it was recognized for excellence in international trade and exponential growth with a Queen's Award for Enterprise. “What we build is a real quality product that is reliable and easy to maintain. It’s not a mass produced product, they are extremely well engineered and high quality crafts built in Great Britain,” explains Burroughs.  
The Ribeye SOLAS rescue tenders range from 6.2m - 8m and are available in petrol and diesel outboard as well as jet propulsion. Find them at the Monaco Yacht Show in September 2021. 

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