Boatworld is bringing a new tender to the Southampton International Boat Show 2026 that aims to solve one of the more persistent headaches for yacht and motorboat owners: how to get more room on the water without sacrificing precious storage space on board.
The ST 270, a compact 2.7-metre inflatable, will have its UK show debut at Stand P43 in The Power Hub. It combines the space-saving profile of a traditional round-tail dinghy with a short transom, keeping the tender easy to stow while still allowing a conventional outboard.
For many yacht owners, choosing a tender means weighing up usable space on the water against the room it takes up on board. The ST 270 was developed to address that balance.
Its short-transom configuration avoids the bulk of a full-height transom while still allowing an outboard of up to 6hp. Wide stern tubes maximise buoyancy and interior space, and a high-pressure Air V floor gives a firm platform underfoot that helps with tracking and handling.
At 2.7 metres long, the ST 270 seats up to three adults and one child, with a maximum loaded weight of 390kg, making it well suited to regular ship-to-shore runs.
Its compact design targets sailing yachts and motorboats where locker, deck or lazarette space is tight. Once inflated, though, the wide stern layout and open interior leave useful room for passengers, bags and everyday boating gear.
Boatworld says the ST 270 suits ship-to-shore tender duties, yacht and motorboat use, harbour and marina journeys, coastal exploring, family boating, and boaters working with limited onboard storage.
Unlike a fully round-tail tender, the integrated short transom lets owners run a conventional outboard without needing a removable motor bracket.
The ST 270 is now the largest model in Boatworld's ST range, joining the smaller ST 200 and ST 240. The added length gives owners more passenger and carrying space while keeping the compact-storage design that defines the range.
"The ST range came from looking at what yacht owners actually need from a tender. Storage space onboard is always valuable, but once you launch the boat you still want enough room for people, bags and everything you need to get ashore comfortably. The ST 270 gives customers that extra usable space while keeping the compact short-transom design that makes the range so practical."
"We think it is going to be particularly interesting for sailors and motorboat owners at Southampton because it solves a very real problem: how do you get a capable 2.7-metre tender without dedicating a huge amount of onboard space to storing it?"
Specifications: overall length 2.70m, tube diameter 37cm, passenger capacity 3 adults plus 1 child, maximum load 390kg, maximum outboard power 6hp, high-pressure air V-floor, designed for compact transport and onboard storage.
