Heritage 12 Sliding Seat Guideboat

The Heritage 12 Classic Yacht Tender (full inner liner) is a new multi-purpose yacht tender that rows well, sails hard, is 85 pounds light and beautiful lines. Famous Heritage bottom design for an excellent glide, and can be rigged for sliding seat rowing.

Like all of the Heritage Classic line, she is made of hand-laid fiberglass and carbon fiber graphite. This is the strongest method known for boat building. Also unique is that she is made of both an outer hull and a fully molded inner liner. This is much stronger, lighter, and attractive than a single skin boat. The Heritage is as much a joy to look at as she is to row.

The now famous patented fold-in rigger arm system is standard. This has 3 benefits: First, when docking, you can swing the arm in without removing the oar. Very neat! Second, when folded in, it doubles as a grab bar to help you get in and out. And third, when folded in, it supports the canvas cover to keep rainwater from pooling.
There are built in passenger seats both in the bow and the stern. Also standard are two drain plugs, molded non-skid, storage compartment, and bow and stern eyes.
The Yacht Tender is surprisingly light, weighing only 95 pounds. Little River Marine has been constructing ultra light racing shells for 30 years, and we have applied what we have learned about light strong composite construction to this boat.

As an exercise rower, she is much better than traditional dinghies, due to her advanced hull shape, light weight, and stiffness. Women often choose the Heritage 12 as a boat that just “fits” better. When used for sliding seat, men seem to prefer the famous glide of the Heritage 15 or 18. But, when there are space limitations, the 12 is perfect. All 3 are stable, allowing the rower to stand. The 12 Yacht Tender is a better “family” sailing version as it carries a smaller, single sail. The 15 and 18 are more high performance with 2 sails.

We’ve built in an enormous amount of safety flotation, much like an inflatable raft has. The entire gunwale is shaped like a large horseshoe, all Coast Guard Certified air chamber flotation. An inflatable has this tube on the outside because it must be round to be made of fabric. We have placed the flotation in the inside and made it an appealing shape to the eye. No longer do yachtsmen need to settle for tenders that have forgotten form in the name of function. This is a romantic rowing craft much like that of which had graced the waters at the turn of the century.
Its timeless lapstrake hull, swooping sheer and wineglass stern give her classic good looks. This graceful craft will probably become a treasured family heirloom, thus: Heritage.
There is an optional second mounting station (for the sliding seat monorail) for those who wish to better relocate weight in the boat when passengers are aboard. The floor is non-skid, and there are over-sized lifting rings, bow and stern, for davits. New for yachtsmen is an optional all white gunwale, so there won’t be any chance of scuff marks against your main vessel.

What’s Her Best Feature?

Versatility to fit your lifestyle. Take a partner, or pile in the kids. Row hard or just sail. Clamp on a two-horsepower motor. Pack a lunch and go exploring. Strap it on the car for summer vacation.

Built with a wider hull than rowing shells, the Heritage is terrifically stable. This allows the rower to stand while launching or even at sea. One can even stand and cast a fishing pole. The Heritage also has a prominent bow enabling it to charge into the roughest seas. The deep-tracking keel and high stern will thrill you as you surf down sea. This is the first truly “ocean-capable” sliding-seat rowing craft. No more waiting for calm weather to row!

The sail/row design is well thought out so you may do both at once: row out, then sail home. Everything is cleanly designed to remove and re-attach instantly, even at sea.