Wooden Boats' Second Limo Tender 27 Can Also Serve as a Day Cruiser Flying at 37 Knots

That’s precisely the points Italian boat builder Wooden Boats focuses on when designing its tender models. The latest creation coming from them is a customized Limo Tender 27, specifically designed for the owners of a 171-foot (52-meter) Sanlorenzo superyacht.

Wooden Boats, a project that leverages the experience of Viareggio-based Studio Arnaboldi, is known for creating tender models that are available for customization and can compete with their motherships in terms of exclusivity and technology. They use carbon-composite and all-composite construction for their boats and pay special attention to performance.

The first Limo Tender 27 unit debuted three years ago as a custom design and build, and the one revealed now is the second one. The owners of the Sanlorenzo yacht chose this model because they were drawn to the styling and carbon fiber construction, but everything else, from the hull design to the interior furnishings, has been tailored to their needs and preferences.

“This second Limo Tender 27 shares with the first only the hull lines and the construction technology,” Marco Arnaboldi, the founder of Wooden Boats, explains. “Everything else is totally customized to meet the requests of an owner who had very clear ideas and who received from us equally precise answers, down to the smallest detail. So speaking of a second model is not in fact accurate: each Limo Tender 27 is born with its own distinct personality, to best adapt to the owner’s requests and, consequently, to the style of the yacht it will be stowed in.”

Photo: Wooden Boats

Measuring 26 feet (7.95 meters) long and 8.3 feet (2.55 meters) wide, the Limo Tender 27 is very light but strong, thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber and is targeted at yacht owners who want both a real open tender and a limousine tender all in one. The owners of this particular unit opted for a fixed deckhouse as opposed to a removable structure as the original design featured.

Instead, the tender features a sliding sunroof, so people on board can enjoy the breeze on beautiful days, as well as a 12V air conditioning system to keep the guests comfortable when it’s hot outside.

The wheelhouse is situated in the bow, so there is ample space left to accommodate 12 guests. We’re talking about seating space here, as there are obviously no staterooms. As for the interior design, Marco Arnaboldi mentions that all the furnishings have been carefully chosen by the owners “up to the individual armrests of the seats.”

At the stern, guests can take advantage of a small swim platform by folding down the transom. A deployable swim ladder will allow them to climb out of the sea.

All these features, combined with the forward driving position, mean that the Limo Tender 27 can go beyond its shore-to-anchorage purpose, actually serving as a great daytime cruiser if required.

Wooden Boats equipped the tender with a single 270 hp Mercury diesel engine with stern drive, with initial sea trials confirming a maximum speed of 37 knots (43 mph/69 kph) and a cruising speed of 30 knots (35 mph/56 kph). Furthermore, the Limo Tender 27 can take guests who want to enjoy a day of swimming or sightseeing to plenty of places thanks to the 200-nautical-mile range at 25 knots (29 mph/46 kph).