A chase tender should look and feel like part of the superyacht it follows. The Bekkers AZUR 45 is a 13.5 m aluminium yacht, hand-built in Holland, with 30+ knots of performance and a hull painted to sample to match the mothership. It is built by a team whose roots are in superyacht stainless steel work, not in series production.

What a chase tender does

A chase tender, sometimes called a shadow boat or support boat, runs alongside a superyacht rather than living on board it. It typically carries guests ashore at speed, takes them to beaches and anchorages the mothership cannot reach, and gives owners a smaller, more personal boat for day trips. Because it travels independently, it can be larger and more comfortable than a tender stowed in a garage.

That independence changes the brief. A chase tender spends long days at sea, is seen next to the mothership in every harbour, and is used by the same people who expect superyacht quality on board. It needs to be fast, seaworthy and finished to the same standard as the yacht it serves.

Why the AZUR 45 suits the role

Superyacht heritage

Leon Bekkers founded Bekkers Yachts after years as a key supplier of stainless steel work to the most luxurious superyacht builders in the Netherlands and Germany. Motor Boat & Yachting describes his main business as stainless steel fittings for leading Dutch superyacht yards. That background shapes the AZUR 45. The philosophy is simple: superyacht standards, scaled to a yacht in the 40 to 60 ft range.

The team reflects the same thinking. Exterior design is by René van der Velden, an award-winning superyacht designer. Hull engineering of the AZUR 45 is by Navyk. Emile Bilterijst, former director of superyacht builder Moonen Yachts, advises the yard.

Fit and finish that stands next to the mothership

In its first look at the AZUR 45, Motor Boat & Yachting praised fit and finish as exceptional for a 45-footer and noted that there were no visible weld marks. Details such as a mirrored glass skylight in the hardtop, glazed side buttresses, stainless cupholders with a phone slot and a leather-wrapped rectangular stainless wheel are the kind of work guests notice. For a chase tender that sits alongside a superyacht, that matters.

Performance and range

The AZUR 45 runs on twin Volvo Penta IPS. The entry pair is IPS 600 (2x 440 hp), with IPS 650 and IPS 800 (up to 2x 600 hp) as options. Speed is 30+ knots depending on the engines chosen. Fuel capacity is 1,240 litres. The hard chine hull is certified CE / RCD category B. As a general rule, category B covers offshore use in winds up to Beaufort force 8 and significant wave heights up to 4 metres, which suits a boat that shadows a yacht between anchorages.

The draught is 0.79 m. A shallow draught typically lets a chase tender reach beaches and bays that are off limits to the mothership.

Matching the mothership's livery

The most visible part of a chase tender is its colour. On the AZUR 45, paint to sample means any colour combination is possible. Examples include Daytona Grey, Dark Green, Navy Blue and Ice Blue, but the yard can work from the superyacht's own paint specification so hull, superstructure and accents follow the mothership's livery. Interior wood and marine leather can also be chosen to echo the superyacht, and any material is available on request.

Because there is no mould and no fibreglass hull, the yard is not limited to a fixed set of production options. Read more about the process in Paint to sample: how a custom hull colour is chosen.

Specifications at a glance

Hardtop or open

The AZUR 45HT has an aluminium hardtop, with options such as a panoramic sliding roof, Bowers & Wilkins speakers and LED ceiling strips. It gives shade and shelter on longer runs. Both carry the outdoor galley, sun beds fore and aft, an electric boarding and swim ladder and a full-size outdoor shower. Compare the versions on Compare the Bekkers yachts.

Working with captains and management companies

A chase tender is often specified by the captain or the yacht's management company as well as the owner. The yard replies personally within one working day and can discuss technical requirements, colour matching and delivery logistics directly. The build timeline and any tender specific equipment, such as fendering, radio or crew equipment, are agreed with the yard and set out in your quote.

Bekkers offers worldwide service and aftersales, including help with maintenance, servicing and storage. The yard will explain how this works for a tender based abroad. Sea trials are possible at the yard in Heusden.