From diving trainers to the fourth tender: These support yachts have room for everything

This is where support yachts come into play, robust vehicles with extra storage space and a very unique design. We show an exciting selection of floating transporters.

U-81 | Ulysses

Damen once made the "Versorger" type socially acceptable. In 2022, the Dutch launched the "U-81", an 80 by 16 metre steel vehicle. Graeme Hart from New Zealand took over a yacht that does not hide its purpose visually either. A crane that lifts toys weighing twelve tonnes is clearly visible at the stern. Designed by Tam Elder and Azure, the transporter for 24 people (16 crew, eight guests), heli & co. is capable of speeds of up to 14 knots and trails a recently delivered Feadship, which is a good 20 metres longer (102.6 m) and also goes faster at 17.5 knots.

• Length: 80 m
• Volume: 3435 GT
• Fleet: Princess Y75, Wajer 55, centre console, wakeboard boat, Brabus Shadow 500, landing tender, RIB tender, Bell 429

Wayfinder | 821

Two years after "Hodor", the Spanish shipyard Armón delivered the second double hull with shadow function in 2021: "Wayfinder" measures 68 metres and is making a name for itself with its sky-blue helipad, aka tennis court. The Incat Crowther team also designed this aluminium shadowcat, which can reach speeds of up to 20 knots (see "Nebula"), with room for twelve guests and 30 crew members. The owner is reportedly Bill Gates, who wants to sell the almost 119 metre long Feadship mother ship via Edmiston. The same British brokerage house lists "Wayfinder" at 55 million euros.

• Length: 68 m
• Volume: 1737 GT
• Fleet: Limo tender 12 m, landing tender, RIB tender

Sherpa | Hampshire II

In purely visual terms, "Sherpa" manages the balancing act between nostalgic steamer and explorer. The 73-metre-long RWD design was built in 2018 at the Royal Van Lent Feadship shipyard in Kaag and comes with a bowsprit, water cannon and two cranes. The steel-aluminium construction accommodates 13 guests and 25 crew members. Her owner, INEOS boss Jim Ratcliffe, needs the companion for his six metre longer "Hampshire II", which was also built by Feadship, but according to plans by the designers and engineers at De Voogt. The most recent refit at the same time as "Sherpa" gave the mother ship the same hull colour.

• Length: 73 m
• Volume: 1802 GT
• Fleet: Safe 38 Full Cabin, RIB tender

BC 175 | Bad Company

When it comes to deep-sea fishing, you have to be fast to spot the fish in time. And so the 53-metre supply vessel "Bad Company Support" (BC 175) chases through the water at 20 knots as part of Anthony Hsieh's fleet of a dozen. The US entrepreneur is on the World Tour and recently completed stage six off the Cape Verde Islands. A helicopter takes off from the latest yacht addition to spot schools of fish and drop bait. A smaller support format, also from Damen (ex-"Pink Shadow"), remains in Hsieh's possession and serves as a sleeping base. During the day, swordfish, tuna and mahi mahi are fished on alternating sportfisherman boats travelling with them.

• Length: 53 m
• Volume: 499 GT
• Fleet: Release 43', Blackfin 32', Technohull GT 7, RIB 4.3 m, U-Boat Worx Nemo, Bell 505

Hodor | Lonian

"Hodor" kicked off the Shadow Cat series from Australian designers Incat Crowther in 2019; Astilleros Armon built the 66.29 metre-long twin-hull vessel on the platform of a fast ferry in northern Spain. The US owner has a record-breaking armada of toys parked on the utility, including a 100-knot skater powerboat, a submersible and an Airbus H145. This leaves plenty of space for family fitness training and a mega pool with a glass floor on the stern terrace on the 87-metre "Lonian", the mother ship, which is one year younger.

• Length: 66 m
• Volume: 1525 GT
• Fleet: Nor-Tech 560, Hydra-Sports 53, 388 Skater, Metal Shark landing tender 9 m, Novurania RIB 7 m, Ski Nautique 6 m, Airbus H145

Charley | White Rabbit

The mother ship is gigantic, "White Rabbit" is the largest multihull in the world at 84 metres long and 20 metres wide, with guests spread over 1200 square metres of living space. Nevertheless, the owner is outsourcing the space-consuming fleet to the 51-metre-long GRP cat "Charley", which was also launched at the Australian Echo shipyard in 2017. The multihull supply vessel offers parking space for four tenders, cabins for 16 crew members and a decompression chamber. Thanks to its top speed of 20 knots, it follows its mother effortlessly.

• Length: 51 m
• Volume: 702 GT
• Fleet: Custom cat 13.5 m, Turbojet 2 x RIBs

Wingman | Launchpad

It is more than a rumour that Mark Zuckerberg has bought the brand new, 118-metre-long Fead-ship. The "Launchpad", designed by Espen Øino, was originally intended to be built for a Russian. The new owner pragmatically added a companion ship called "Wingman" to the portfolio - a 67-metre steel and aluminium construction built by Damen in 2014, which was last called "Dapple" and was fittingly up for sale. As tenders are usually brought in by the company itself and not taken over, the new fleet cannot yet be listed exactly. Heli and wakeboard boat are definitely included.

• Length: 67 m
• Volume: 1128 GT
• Fleet (old): Intrepid 375 Nomad, landing tender 8 m, Protector RIB 7.5 m, submersible

Abeona | Koru

Sailing yachts also come with an escort, even if it's a 125-metre schooner like "Koru". Anything that owner Jeff Bezos doesn't want on board his Oceanco build, which was delivered in 2023, such as a helipad and various tenders, the 76-metre-long "Abeona" sails behind. The steel-aluminium supply vessel from Damen Yachting Halls was launched in 2022. A crew of 37 plus four guests and additional staff can stay on board. Top speed: 18 knots, range: 5000 nautical miles.

• Length: 76 m
• Volume: 1901 GT
• Fleet: RIB limo tender, wakeboard boat, Airbus H135

Masquenada | My Song

It is to be expected that a racing yacht requires additional volume. The ClubSwan 80 "My Song", which will be delivered to Loro Piana in 2022, measures a sporty 24 metres, its interior is elegant but sparse and can or should disappear completely for racing. Until then, social life has shifted to the motorised shadow. "Masquenada" offers well-equipped accommodation for twelve guests and cabins for eleven crew members. The 51 metres were built by Penglai-Bohai back in 2006 and became part of the fashion mogul's portfolio in 2020, when it was still called "Aspire". After a major refit at Lusben, she shines in new splendour and is also used solo for long voyages.

• Length: 51 m
• Volume: 572 GT
• Fleet: Iguana X100, (amphibious RIB)