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Laurence Killick is interested in tenders that can be dismantled for ease of stowage...

"Years ago, I came across an article, in Practical Boat Owner magazine, describing a stacking tender. The boat was built with two full-width bulkheads at the point of widest beam and then turned upside down and sawn right through, slicing the boat in half. All very satisfying. The bow could be stacked inside the stern and the whole reassembled with four bolts and wing nuts in about three minutes. The author concluded by describing a third section he intended to build that would house a small inboard engine and fit between the two existing halves. He could then motor out to his boat, dismantle the tender, leaving the centre section floating and tied to his mooring whilst he set off with the bow and stern section on board. 

Although not particularly handy, I built a boat loosely on his lines whilst I was working in Saudi Arabia, in Udhailiyah, (Arabic for The Place of Hardships) and we tested it on site in a lagoon we had built for construction water. 

We fitted a small mast and a green visqueen sail, halfway between a square rigger and a standing lugsail. It worked really well and we regularly took it to the Gulf at Salwa, where it became an important addition to spear fishing and drinking illegal booze. 

Now I am getting closer to some long distance cruising and I am looking for a really good stacking tender. I wonder if there is anyone out there who would care to design me one, on a strictly altruistic basis, of course..."

We have to admit that the only stacking tender we've ever had our hands on was very kindly loaned us by a kind Australian friend when our inflatable decided not to be inflatable for a while. 

The tender was as described by Laurence, only without any centre section, you just put your outboard on the back, and it probably was very convenient to stow, although we never had to try it, but we never got the hang of using it on the water. It seemed very unstable and incredibly heavy so that, when our outboard motor decided not to do any more motoring for a while (as they do), rowing it anywhere required superhuman effort. It was probably just us, lacking experience in the subtleties of the stacking tender and it got us around for weeks, for which we will always be grateful. In principle we like the idea. If we can find someone to sponsor a suitable prize, maybe we'll run a competition for the best design...