yeoward and dowie

We sell a good range of small RIBs and tenders fitted with a choice of engines. We also sell Ocean Kayaks. Links to the manufacturers' websites for the small craft and tenders we sell are shown on the useful websites page.  But read on...

To TENDER or not to TENDER?  (This section is mainly relevant to Salcombe but some of the advice may work elswhere).

If you have a main boat on a mooring in the harbour you will want to:

• Get out to the boat from the shore; and
• Get into a beach or the shore once you have got where you want to go.

You may also want to use a smaller craft for:

• Just pottering around the harbour.
• Crossing from East Portlemouth to buy croissants and a paper in the morning.
• Entertaining children and others unable to amuse themselves in the main boat.
  

BUT - before you spend money on a tender (and its engine) remember the following:

• You need somewhere to put it when it is ashore (Whitestrand is very busy and the Harbour Master is seeking to reduce the number of dinghies left on the public pontoon).
• The tender and its engine need looking after and servicing in the same way as your main boat.
• If you intend to tow a tender to the beach you will only be able to travel slowly (not much point having a 150hp engine and travelling at 6 knots...).

SO - consider the following options before buying a tender:

• Using the Water Taxi to get out to your mooring - 0800 to 2300 during the season (May to 12th September) and three boats on during July and August.
• Buying a small round-tail dinghy (from us obviously!) with oars (£330ish, no engine and light enough to pull into the boat).  This will serve to get ashore onto beaches, as an amusement on the beach and perhaps a tender for the nearer moorings.

IF - you still want to buy a tender, please come and talk to us.  Over the years we have sold several different brands but we have iterated towards the brands which give least trouble - Avon and Ribeye.  Both make superb quality small RIBs and inflatable boats. They are sometimes more expensive than others on a foot-for-foot basis but they are cheaper in the long run. As John Ruskin once said, "the common law of business balance prevents paying a little and getting a lot".