Try A Little Tenderness!

Well, we're back from our trip to Barbados and getting ready for a hull compound and wax job next week. Our Captain rolls out the tender, an Avon, and realizes ... the rub rail is falling off! Not to mention, some of the glue joints on the transom are a bit weak. Great, just great. But, as many of you probably know, this is what happens when you unfurl the auxiliary inflatable after a seasonal hiatus.

Our Avon, now in Sylvio's skilled hands
[click to enlarge]

Yes, a tender restoration is in order. Fortunately, we have a great inflatable repair guy on hand - Sylvio Subotnjicki of Inflatable Marlin Services in Fort Lauderdale. We've seen Sylvio [pictured, right] take inflatables and RHIBs, that would've otherwise been thrown away, and restore them to better-than-new condition. Needless to say, our Avon will be at his shop for some tender, loving care before we deploy her next week.

And we encourage all of our fellow boaters to take a look at your tenders before your next trip. Remove the cover and give her a once over: Is she still holding air? In all the chambers? Are the valves leaking? Is that foot pump still operational? Is the battery charged? Make sure the fuel system isn't soured or stale, and so on. After all, tenders are an important factor in your overall convenience and fun once you've reached your destination but, sadly, they're frequently overlooked. And if you wait 'til the last minute, it can be a real hassle dealing with an engine that won't start, for example -  tow to the ramp, rent a trailer, get to the repair shop, await repairs, back to the ramp, etc. - all of which delay you for days while your family is eager to shove off to The Bahamas.

Also worth noting? When you're purchasing a vessel equipped with a tender, don't just survey the main hull of the yacht, survey the tender, as well; make sure you get what you're paying for! If you've ever checked out a tender that's been sitting onboard for a year or two, you already know the list of likely flaws: the sun bakes the Hypalon®; Teleflex® steering systems and throttle cables freeze from lack of use; carburetors get gummed up; the bottoms of fuel filters corrode. Or, worse, wasps make a big nest in the bow (don't ask). Point being, it can be costly to get a neglected tender up and running, and flaunting that yacht-quality look making her worthy of being mounted on your vessel's transom or flybridge.

So, don't overlook your little launch, whether it's the one you currently own or offered as part of a yacht purchase you are considering. If you need any help or have any questions, just contact us (you can even scan our QR code) and remember ...

For smooth sailing and zero stress ... call SYS!™
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