Have you ever wondered whether a tender and a shore boat are the same thing? In “Force of Waves” (S3), a tender was used to transport Clark Sloan and his wife from their yacht to shore. In “The Defector” (S8), a shore boat was used to transport Grant Ormsbee and others between the Navy ship and the shore.
I did some googling and learned that the answer essentially is yes. Merriam-Webster’s definitions are virtually identical:
Tender. One that tends, such as a ship employed to attend other ships (as to supply provisions), a boat for communication or transportation between shore and a larger ship, or a warship that provides logistic support.[1]
Shore boat. A boat plying from shore to ship.[2]
Scoutboats.com gives more details about a tender, calling it “essentially a smaller craft that runs back and forth from a larger yacht or ship” and explaining that [they] also can “serve as life boats during an emergency [and] navigate the shallow waters that large boats are unable to traverse.” They go on to say that some tenders “often match the luxury and quality of the yacht” they serve.[3]
I wondered whether “shore boat” might not be the military term for “tender,” but could find no evidence to support this. Can anyone add to our understanding of these terms? If so, please leave a comment below. Mahalo!
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Mahalo for digging up such interesting items, H50.