Why so few tenders?

[Dave R]

Please bear in mind, I don't have a boat big enough to carry a tender, and when I get one (a Tollycraft 45 currently tops my list of live-aboard boats I am considering), it won't be kept on the lake. I only started this thread in response to another thread about a 30 foot boat, in which (the thread not the boat) there were a few responses about how difficult it is to find a spot for a 30+ foot boat at the town docks...

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Yes, but you're often talking about areas of water that are way larger. People aren't going to anchor in the broads and take a tender to Meredith, they're going to anchor 100' off the docks and create gridlock in those areas.

Most boats on the lake aren't big enough to carry a decent tender anyway, which is likely why you don't see this happening. Little true practicality, not enough large boats to have room for a tender.

If most boats aren't big enough for a tender, what would cause the gridlock? Also, it's really the size of the boats and the number of dock spaces available in the popular ports that make using a tender a good option, not the size of the body of water.

My point was not for everyone to get a tender and use it at the town docks. I was just wondering why those that have boats big enough to carry a tender don't anchor out and use one. They could easily anchor 1/4 mile+ from the dock, motor in with dinghy, be completely out of the way, and never ever have trouble finding a place to tie up.

I'm hoping someone will read this and think "oh, I should do that!" and then they would frequent the town docks more often, and the businesses around the town docks would get more revenue, and someone else would see them do it and copy them and the businesses would get even more revenue etc. Imagine if the inside/back slips at Weirs Beach were packed with 10 foot RIBs, each carrying two to four paying customers from anchored cruisers. The town could even install moorings if needed. That kind of money could do wonders for the area.