Having been building boats in Devon since 1998, Ribeye originally begun producing premium RIBs for the leisure sector, with a focus on seaworthiness and comfortable riding. Due to its reputation for making such boats, the company started receiving interest from superyachts that were unable to find tenders on the market that successfully delivered in these areas. Now with an extensive portfolio of RIB tenders from 5-12m, Ribeye specialises in very capable hull platforms that can be customised to the exact service requirements of the mothership.

For yachts over 500gt, Ribeye also builds fully-compliant SOLAS rescue tenders. Due to be revealed at the now-postponed Monaco Yacht Show 2020, Ribeye’s newest model is the 7m SOLAS Jet tender, which has been designed upon the same ethos that characterises its other products. “We noticed that many of the SOLAS rescue tenders on the market look quite rugged and, as such, were only being used for crew operations,” explains James Burroughs, managing director at Ribeye. “So, we wanted to build a really good-looking but capable SOLAS rescue tender that can be used for crew duties, but also for guest transfer when required.”

“We noticed that many of the SOLAS rescue tenders on the market look quite rugged and, as such, were only being used for crew operations. So, we wanted to build a really good-looking but capable SOLAS rescue tender that can be used for crew duties, but also for guest transfer when required.”

In order to make the tender look more in keeping with a guest tender, the SOLAS righting systems have been engineered to be completely hidden so that there are no unsightly frames on the stern. “It is a sleek-looking tender that can be made SOLAS ready in under the five-minute legal requirement,” adds Burroughs. “But overall, it doesn’t look like a typical SOLAS rescue tender.”

Thanks to its appealing design, Ribeye’s 7m SOLAS Jet tender offers a unique proposition to the superyacht market. “The goal was to make it a key part of a yacht’s fleet of tenders, rather than a tender that sits on board as a rescue boat simply to meet safety requirements,” concludes Burroughs. “It’s an all-round tender that performs well in all sea states, can shuttle guests in comfort while keeping them dry, and is reliable and easy to maintain so that it doesn’t become hassle for the crew.” 

Other elements that make Ribeye’s 7m SOLAS Jet tender suitable for the superyacht market include its ability to carry 12 guests and two crewmembers, meaning that for the majority of yachts the full complement of guests can be transported in just one trip, which is rare for a tender of this size. The profile of the tender has also been designed as low as possible to fit into most superyacht garages and various engine options are available. The first unit of the Ribeye 7m SOLAS Jet tender will be delivered to a 75m new-build client in May 2021.

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