Why
A tender is to a yacht owner what your SUV is at home. It is not only for getting from point A to B, it should be your Sport Utility Vessel. So, we collaborated to create the ultimate utility and value in a carbon fibre tender. Our experience in cruising and boating has taught us a few things; most importantly that your tender is key to enjoying cruising to the full. Once the yacht's anchor hits the sea bed, your tender becomes your commute, work horse and pleasure vehicle. In the morning, the SeaSUV could be your fishing platform with 3 levels of flat standing areas that are ideal for casting from. Your rods can be stowed permanently under the gunwale seats, raring to go when needed. Later, your SeaSUV 360 becomes your dive boat with ample storage under the seats for 4 full SCUBA dive kits! The forward swim ladder allows easy boarding for the first diver back. No person on board is required to provide counter weight or assistance. Then, the SeaSUV becomes your ride to shore for sundowners and dinner. The flat island deck feature keeps shoes dry and makes for a safe trip. The raised inner gunwale provide lateral support to passengers and allows them to stand while traveling. Standing when traveling across choppy water makes the trip so much more comfortable.
Where
South Africa is where a large percentage of cruising catamarans are built. We build these full carbon fibre and 35% bio-based epoxy SeaSUV 360s in Knysna, just about midway between Cape Town and St Francis, where the majority of catamaran yards are located. Most of these yards are less than 300km away from where we manufacture and probably a much greener proposition than imported tenders from abroad.
Features
As a Sport Utility Vessel, the SeaSUV 360 excels. The ultra-lightweight cored carbon fibre and green epoxy (approximately 35% bio-based content) creates an unbelievably light and strong boat that is far bigger in space than any other 3.6 m (12 foot) tenders we know of. We packed all the features and comfort we could in a 3.6 m (12 foot) platform. Features that one would only associated with much larger boats are available on the SeaSUV 360.
Large flat gunnel seats flank the spacious flat 7 foot long by 3 foot wide island deck option.
A large lockable hatch keeps fuel tanks and other gear out of sight from prying eyes.
The SeaSUV's rear end has great aft boarding steps. There's no need to climb over the gunwales, simply step up and over the transom as you push off from the shallows.
The optional retractable and removable wheel set allows for beach launching your carbon fibre SeaSUV when you get caught by the tide.
The SeaSUV's flat deck and bumper on the bow allows you to push up against the yacht or dock to get the crew and passengers to board or disembark using the bow deck and the seat as steps up or down to the deck. The pics also shows the ladder on the SeaSUV that has been slid back to protect the yacht.
The SeaSUV's retractable and sliding telescopic swim ladder is a great safety feature. Some struggle to board an anchored tender from the water without assistance. This struggle to board can lead to exhaustion or hypothermia. The swim ladder covers the anchor storage bag and thus acts as reminder to deploy the ladder before anchoring.
The bow-mounted sliding telescopic swim ladder option allows safe and easy boarding from the water without the counter weight of another person or assistance from someone on the boat.
The optional wheel set makes moving the SeaSUV so much easier.
Large areas under the side seats allow fishing rods, surfboards, kites, masts, SCUBA gear and snorkeling gear to be stowed; and keeps the deck clear.
The oars are kept under one of the side seats with holders that act as rowlocks too should you need them.
The carbon fibre SeaSUV 360 has a warped variable V hull shape designed by James Turner. Concave chines are located where the narrower planing hull transitions to the gunwales. These concave chines add much reserve buoyancy as the boat starts to heel to a side when stationary. These concave chines also redirect water spray away from the boat and contribute to how dry the ride is.
We will keep adding information. Please contact us for more info.
In the above image, we store a 1.45m long kiting surfboard and a large 14m2 kite, bar and pump stowed under the side seat. The other side has the same storage space. This amount of gear would typically clutter decks of other tenders so that moving around would be difficult, but his is not so on a SeaSUV 360.
Your tender should also be your pleasure boat.
The image below shows what is under the the paint finish and EVA decking - carbon fibre. This carbon fibre construction is coated with an internationally available premium yacht coating to keep the carbon fibre and epoxy protected from ultraviolet light and to keep the SeaSUV very light in weight.
