Boating is often better with a tender, a jack-of-all-trades dinghy that serves as a gofer for the mothership. But there are dozens of high-quality dinghies from reputable manufacturers, so how do you choose the best one? I consulted several experts for advice. First thing they all asked was, “How are you going to use it?”
That’s easy: Everyone uses their tender in much the same way—to ferry guests and crew from anchor to beach or dock, to take the garbage ashore and bring groceries aboard, to explore a new harbor, to scrub the waterline, maybe just to ride around. Any tender must be able to handle these chores; finding the one that fits your boat the best can be complicated.
Do you want a hard dinghy, an inflatable, or a RIB? Traditionalists might choose a hard dinghy—they row better than inflatables, look more “boaty”
