A custom tender built around the mothership
A 9.8-metre limousine craft can operate as a yacht tender, making deck storage and guest transfer important design questions. This is equipment coverage, not a new 12–24-metre yacht model. Cockwells Modern & Classic Boatbuilding is showing one of two custom 9.8-metre limousine tenders commissioned for Four Seasons Yachts at Monaco Yacht Show 2026. The British builder says the design was developed to echo the mothership's hospitality-led approach while remaining practical for guest transfers into sheltered harbours and secluded coves.
The tender is being exhibited at stand QJ8 in the Tender Show between 23 and 26 September. Its appearance gives visitors an opportunity to inspect a project that was designed for a specific client rather than a generic stock boat.
Eight guests beneath a sweeping glass roof
The cabin combines leather seating for eight guests with afromosia timber, hand-finished joinery and an expansive curved glass roof. Sliding centre sections in the roof can open the space to the surroundings, while climate control keeps the enclosed cabin usable in warmer or cooler conditions.
Cockwells has also integrated a minibar, ice-making refrigerator, touchscreen chart plotter and a concealed Champagne service. Those details reflect the tender's hospitality role, but exact onboard equipment can vary between custom commissions.
Twin diesels and active stabilisation
The published specification uses twin Yanmar 4LV 250hp engines, joystick control and a Seakeeper stabiliser, with a stated top speed of up to 35 knots. A self-launching anchoring system and custom stainless-steel hardware add practical functions around the guest-focused interior.
A stated maximum speed is not the same as a guaranteed operating speed in every load or sea state. The final handling envelope remains dependent on loading, weather and the vessel's certified operating limits.
A tender becomes part of the guest experience
Limousine tenders traditionally focus on moving guests between yacht and shore, but this commission deliberately treats the transfer itself as part of the hospitality experience. That trend is increasingly relevant to large yachts where tenders must match the design quality and service expectations of the mothership.
The official British Marine release supplies the dimensions, machinery and exact image used here. Luxury Yacht Guide has linked the existing Cockwells company and Monaco Yacht Show records rather than creating duplicates. For Luxury Yacht Guide readers, the tender belongs in the equipment category, not the main 12.00–23.99-metre fleet. Prospective owners should confirm stowage, weight, launch system and passenger specification with the builder.
