Tender

What it means

A tender is a small boat carried by or kept alongside a larger one, used to move people and supplies between the vessel and the shore. Limousine tenders — enclosed, upholstered and used to carry guests in comfort — are a distinct and more expensive branch of the same idea.

Why electric tenders have taken over

The duty is short, slow and repetitive, which is the easiest possible case for a battery. Silence matters more here than almost anywhere: a tender runs at dawn and late at night, close to anchored boats and shorelines, and an electric one does not wake anyone. There is no fuel to carry, spill or store aboard the mother vessel, which is a real safety gain as well as a convenience.

Why it matters

For many buyers a tender is the first electric boat they own, and often the one that changes their mind about the technology. It is also the category where the compromise is smallest: within its intended use, an electric tender gives up essentially nothing.