Luxury yachting isn’t just about indulgence; it’s about ensuring the safety of everyone on board. A SOLAS-approved tender is a critical part of that responsibility. At Williams Jet Tenders, we understand the importance of safety without compromising on style. Our DieselJet SOLAS range is engineered to meet stringent international safety standards while delivering the sophistication and comfort that yacht owners expect. It’s safety, reimagined with elegance.

Key SOLAS Compliance Elements Every Yacht Owner Should Know

SOLAS stands for the Safety of Life at Sea, the maritime treaty overseen by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). For yachts over 500 gross tonnes, it’s a legal requirement to carry a SOLAS rescue boat that meets stringent performance and safety criteria. Here are the core compliance elements that our SOLAS yacht tender range meets:​

1. Self-Righting Capability
If a tender capsizes, it must return to an upright position quickly and reliably. Williams SOLAS tenders use a manually activated righting system designed to self‑right the craft when deployed.

2. Fire-Retardant Construction
Hulls are constructed using fire-retardant resin and gel in GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) construction to help prevent the spread of onboard fires during rescue operations.

3. Emergency Steering
Even if the main steering system fails, the tender can be maneuvered safely, a critical factor when returning to the mothership or recovering a person overboard.

4. On-Board Safety Equipment
Each Williams SOLAS tender is equipped with a carefully selected rescue kit, featuring essentials such as paddles, a buoyant bailer, a sea anchor, painter lines, an electric torch, a first aid kit, a searchlight, a radar reflector, thermal protective aids, a portable fire extinguisher, a life raft, and a telescopic boat hook. Key reliability features include fully watertight helm and deck construction, a capsize-protected fuel system, twin batteries, VHF radio, magnetic compass, LED deck lights, and hi-visibility covers with retro-reflective tape.

These features aren’t optional extras; they are the backbone of SOLAS compliance, giving yacht owners peace of mind that they can respond to any emergency effectively.

How SOLAS Standards Improve Passenger Safety in Challenging Conditions

The open sea is unpredictable. Sudden weather changes, mechanical failures, or emergencies such as a man overboard demand a swift, reliable response. SOLAS standards exist to ensure that, in the event of an unexpected incident, a rescue vessel can perform flawlessly.

Williams SOLAS tenders undergo extensive testing as part of first-of-class approvals, including:

• 3-meter drop test simulating launch from height into rough water
• Self-righting trials
• Swamp and overload lifting tests
• Endurance and heavy-weather operational trials

For owners and captains, this means immediate readiness, confident handling in heavy seas, and rapid recovery, allowing the tender to rejoin the rescue effort without delay. It’s not just about meeting regulations; it’s about protecting lives.​

Integrating Safety with Elegance

Our SOLAS rescue tender designs integrate all required safety features without compromising the sleek, modern lines expected of a luxury yacht tender. Innovations include:
 

• Discreet safety systems, such as the manually activated righting framework, are cleverly hidden beneath clean exterior panels.
• Premium upholstery, teak decking, and paint options elevate guest experience, matching your yacht’s aesthetics and avoiding the “lifeboat look.”
• Guest-ready comfort, featuring ergonomic seating, boarding steps, and handholds, enables tenders to serve both rescue and luxury transport roles.
• Advanced navigation includes a Raymarine Axiom 7” MFD with depth sounder and chartplotter, LED lighting, and an intuitive helm layout for precise operation day or night.

Why aren’t all of our tenders SOLAS-certified?

While all our tenders are CE-certified, and more than meet industry safety standards, many tender owners don’t need the additional functionality of a SOLAS rescue tender. But for those who do – especially those with yachts that weigh more than 500GT – we want to ensure they don’t have to choose between SOLAS certification and the very best tenders on the market.

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Why Yacht Owners Choose Williams SOLAS Tenders

For high-net-worth yacht owners, the decision to invest in a SOLAS yacht tender is about more than ticking a compliance box:

• Dual Functionality – Rescue-ready and guest-friendly in one craft.
• Brand Reputation – Williams is trusted by leading superyacht builders worldwide.
• Aesthetic Harmony – The tender enhances the yacht’s visual presence rather than detracting from it.

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With a Williams SOLAS tender, safety is seamlessly integrated into the luxury yachting experience.

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Key Takeaways

• SOLAS standards are mandatory for yachts exceeding 500 GT and are essential for ensuring safety.
• Our SOLAS tenders feature manually activated self-righting, fire-retardant GRP hulls, emergency steering, and watertight construction.
• Rigorous testing guarantees dependable performance under adverse conditions.

* Modern design innovations mean our tenders look as good as they perform.