A compact tender that is ready when the big boat is not
A tender is often used at the awkward ends of the day: luggage waiting on the pontoon, wind appearing from nowhere and somebody asking where the oars have gone. The Yamaha YAM240T handles that routine with very little fuss. At 24 kilograms it can be moved by one capable adult, and when deflated it packs into a shape that will fit a locker, boot or home cupboard.
The 2.40-metre boat costs £600 including VAT. It carries three people, has a published 400-kilogram maximum load and accepts up to 5 horsepower on a short shaft. An air pump, aluminium oars, sturdy rowlocks and tube clips are part of the listed equipment. I like that the useful tender kit arrives with the boat instead of becoming a small shopping expedition after delivery.
Yamaha YAM240T vs Honda Honwave T25 SE vs Honda Honwave T24 IE vs Talamex Aqualine QLA250
| Inflatable tender | Price including VAT | Hull weight and packed size | People, load and power | Floor and handling | Included practical kit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha YAM240T | £600 | 24 kg; 107 × 58 × 32 cm | 3 people; 400 kg; up to 5 hp | Roll-up wood slats; inflatable keel; three chambers; 39 cm tubes | Air pump, aluminium oars, rowlocks and stow clips listed |
| Honda Honwave T25 SE | £850 | About 34 kg; larger 2.50 m bag | 3 adults; up to 6 hp | Slatted floor; conventional inflatable keel arrangement | Standard tender equipment; exact package follows retailer |
| Honda Honwave T24 IE | £998 | About 34 kg; 2.40 m air-floor package | 3 adults; up to 6 hp | Air V-floor for a firmer walking surface | Pump, oars and bag by package; higher price and packed bulk |
| Talamex Aqualine QLA250 | £588 | About 27 kg; 2.50 m air-floor tender | 3 people; up to 5 hp | Inflatable floor and keel; light package | Pump, oars and bag by retailer listing; less published load detail |
Advertised prices and manufacturer specifications checked 11 September 2026. Inflatable-boat weights and packed dimensions vary with floor, seat, oars and bag, so published package definitions should be read together.
The slatted floor keeps the whole idea simple
The wood slats roll with the boat, so there is no rigid floorboard puzzle to assemble on a wet quay. Three air chambers provide separation, and the inflatable keel gives the bottom enough shape to track better than a flat-bottomed inflatable. Large 39-centimetre tubes add buoyancy and make the tender feel settled when somebody steps aboard from the side.
An air floor feels firmer underfoot, and both Honwave and Talamex offer that route. The YAM takes a different view: keep weight, packed size and assembly time down. For short transfers, tender duties and family pottering, that trade is very sensible. The floor remains comfortable enough for seated passengers, and fewer separate pieces mean fewer opportunities to leave something in the garage.
Three people and their belongings fit the brief
The published 400-kilogram load is generous for a tender of this size, though the practical load still has to be distributed carefully. The 1.48-metre beam gives the tubes a stable stance, while the compact 2.40-metre length keeps the boat easy to bring alongside. The oars remain useful even when an outboard is fitted; a tender should always retain a quiet, immediate way of moving a short distance.
With up to 5 horsepower, the YAM can be paired with a small petrol engine or a suitable electric drive. A Yamaha F2.5 makes an especially tidy displacement-speed package, while the upper rating gives more authority with people aboard. The best pairing depends on storage and lifting as much as speed. The tender’s own 24-kilogram weight leaves more of the handling budget for the engine.
The comparison comes down to what travels with the boat
The Honwave T25 SE is longer and accepts another horsepower, but it costs £250 more and carries extra package weight. The T24 IE provides a firm air V-floor at the same length as the Yamaha, yet the advertised figure is almost £400 higher. Talamex is close on price and also light, though the Yamaha publishes the clearer combination of 400-kilogram load, compact packed dimensions and complete rowing equipment.
The YAM’s weight, capacity, keel, separate chambers, oars and pump all serve the same straightforward job: getting three people and their belongings between shore and boat, then packing away neatly. It feels complete at £600, with very little left for the owner to sort out before the first trip.
Cara’s verdict
I would choose the YAM240T for a family or cruising owner who needs a tender to appear quickly, carry properly and disappear neatly afterwards. The 24-kilogram hull is manageable, the three-chamber construction feels reassuring and the inflatable keel gives the boat a more directed shape under power or oars.
Its price makes sense because the useful equipment is already present and the published load is unusually strong for such a compact package. The air-floor rivals have a different feel underfoot, but the Yamaha’s lighter, simpler slatted layout is the better all-round tender answer for regular packing and carrying. View the Yamaha YAM240T product page.
I would expect the YAM240T to earn its place on the quiet days as much as the adventurous ones: carrying bags from a mooring, taking two people ashore or giving children their first short trip. It is easy to understand, easy to pack and not so ambitious that using it becomes a project.
About this review
I based this review on the product and manufacturer information listed in the sources, together with advertised UK prices checked on 11 September 2026. It is an editorial assessment, not an instrumented performance, durability or sea test. The words and opinions are Cara Donnelly’s, and the article was not written by Flood Marine Services.
