During the summer, it’s a tradition in my family to gather at my Uncle Frank’s home for summertime barbecues. A big part of the ritual is for me to join him when he fires up the grill. Our chats inevitably turn to boats, our shared passion and occupations.
Recently, as we kept a watchful eye on the chops, Frank (who co-runs Bootwerk, an outfit that specializes in yacht interiors) said he had heard from a former client who sold his big, steel Doggersbank and was looking for a different kind of boat to suit his new adventures. The client wanted to keep the work in our family. My grandfather, who was Frank’s father, had built his boat some three decades back.
My team got in contact soon after. We listened to the client describe his family’s needs and must-haves. His aspirations are to ply inland waterways—so prevalent in the Netherlands—and to hopscotch along confidently at up to 20 knots in a coastal cruiser. He’d need two staterooms with as much privacy as possible.
I immediately began to sketch ideas, the first step in the design of the River Tender 42. Her exterior styling is inspired by classic admiral’s tenders, with a clinker hull, a transom-mounted rudder and a koekoek (similar to a butterfly hatch, a koekoek is hinged in the middle and both sides are held open with a strut) on the foredeck. With uncluttered lines and her contrasting wooden elements atop a gleaming, Awlgrip-white aluminum hull, she exudes a clean style. We also honor Dutch tradition with a heavy-duty, braided rope fender.
The RT42 has more than a touch of modernity. Her side rails along the coachroof are flush, and the bulwarks have built-in pods for hanging fenders. Part of her transom acts like a truck’s tailgate, allowing easy boarding from lower quays and egress to the sea via a proper, foldable ladder. Her rudder has built-in steps for backup or emergency use.
In the cockpit, a U-shape settee can seat 10 people, depending on the configuration of the transformable table. Just abaft, a lounge sits in between her aft-facing bench that is flanked by smaller settees. Full-width stowage is under the bench, with custom wooden frames underneath the settees for fender stowage. Guests can walk on the benches for boarding, or the transom door to starboard can serve as a dedicated entrance.
A curved windshield and side glass without A-pillars define her wheelhouse, granting unobstructed visibility for the helmsman. Her pilothouse also contains a galley along her port side, with a dinette abaft the helm’s double companion seat. Adjacent to the helm, the transom door allows the captain to handle lines. A central bollard will be placed here for transitioning locks. The pilothouse can be open to the cockpit (there is a sliding sunroof as well) or closed with canvas.
Honoring our client’s request, her two staterooms offer as much privacy as can be had in a 42-foot boat. The forward stateroom, accessed via a double door on centerline in the pilothouse, has a queen berth and generous stowage. Her head will serve as the day head that can be cordoned off from the sleeping area via a sliding door. The aft stateroom, accessed via a foldable door built into the cockpit’s settee, has twin berths that can be joined for a double.
A stowage locker runs along the shared wall to the machinery room, serving as a sound barrier.
Powered by a keel-cooled, 220-hp diesel engine, the RT42 will see an economical displacement cruise speed of 8 knots, returning a 400-nautical-mile range with a 10 percent reserve. Her top speed is 20 knots.
River Tender 42
LOA: 42 ft. • Beam: 12 ft. • Draft: 2ft. 6in. • Displacement: 18,700 lbs. • Fuel: 190 gal. • Water: 100 gal. • Power: 1x 220 hp
This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue.
