Yacht Slides: Sizes by Drop, Makers, Setup and Prices

Two o’clock in a sheltered anchorage, water so clear you can count the ripples in the sand below. Lunch is cleared, the tender is back, and two crew are walking a long rolled bundle up to the sun deck. Twenty minutes later there’s a bright curve of slide running from the rail to the sea, water trickling down its surface, and the guests who swore they’d only read are lining up barefoot at the top. A yacht slide is the water toy that turns an anchorage into a water park, and because every yacht’s deck height is different, it’s also the one toy you have to size carefully. This page covers how yacht slides are sized, who makes them, what they’re made of, how setup and custom orders work, how they’re used on charter, safety, and what they cost.

In short: an inflatable yacht slide is chosen by the drop from the rail where it starts down to the waterline, not by the yacht’s length. FunAir’s range runs from a 1.5 m FunSize for yachts up to 20 m to custom slides for drops over 10 m, and Yachtbeach sizes its slides by railing height from 270 to 620 cm. Most yacht slides are made to order and priced by quote; the few published prices run from about $2,900 to €10,499.

Yacht slide sizes: measure the drop first

FunAir puts it in one sentence: “The right size depends on your rail-to-waterline drop and your yacht’s deck layout.” Measure from the rail or deck edge where the slide will start down to the water, with the yacht loaded the way you use it, not light at the dock. Our step-by-step guide is how to measure rail-to-waterline. Then compare your number with the makers’ published bands.

FunAir yacht slides by drop

Model	Rail-to-waterline drop	Yacht size (maker)	Notes
FunSize	1.5 m (about 5 ft)	Up to 20 m (66 ft)	QuickShip; 1 to 2 crew, under 15 min
Hanger Mini	2 to 3.5 m (6.6 to 11.5 ft)	Up to 30 m (98 ft)	QuickShip; 1 to 2 crew, under 15 min
Hanger	4 to 6.5 m (13 to 21 ft)	30 to 50 m (98 to 164 ft)	About 20 min
Hanger Extreme	7 to 9.5 m (23 to 31 ft)	50 m+ (164 ft+)	Over the rail; RapidFlate
Riser	9.5 m+ (31 ft+)	60 m+ (197 ft+)	Custom only; stands on its own; about 60 min
Self-Lifting	10 m+ (33 ft+)	60 m+	Custom only; for “busy charter yachts”
Bow, Stern, Curved	3 to 12 m (10 to 39 ft)	All sizes (Curved: 50 m+)	Custom only
Flume	Fully custom	Any	Custom only

Yachtbeach Magic Yachtslide by railing height

Model	Railing height above water	Weight	Handling
Mini Side	245 cm tall slide (300 cm long, 110 cm wide)	27.5 kg	For smaller boats (seller snippet)
Magic Yachtslide 4.6	270 to 350 cm (8.9 to 11.5 ft)	46 kg with bag	Electric pump, 10 to 15 min
Magic Yachtslide 5.2	380 to 460 cm (12.5 to 15.1 ft)	About 99 kg	Not stated
Magic Yachtslide 6.2	460 to 540 cm (15.1 to 17.7 ft)	About 116 kg	2 crew
Magic Yachtslide 7.2	540 to 620 cm (17.7 to 20.3 ft)	About 120 kg	2 crew

FreeStyle Slides also publishes stock sizes for its Cruiser Flex, by deck height: S 4 to 5.5 m, M 5.5 to 6.7 m, L 6.7 to 8.1 m and XL 8.1 to 9.1 m. Notice the gaps between bands, such as FunAir’s 3.5 to 4 m and Yachtbeach’s 350 to 380 cm. If your drop falls in one, send the maker your numbers rather than guessing up or down.

Where the slide goes: launch spots and shapes

The drop decides the size; the deck layout decides the shape. FunAir’s line shows the options:

• Over the rail from the side or upper deck: the classic hanger slide. The Hanger Extreme is an over-the-rail slide entered from the top or sun deck.
• Bow slides: FunAir points them at sailing yachts, to free up the aft deck.
• Stern and curved slides: a curved slide brings the exit closer to the swim platform, so riders are near the boarding steps when they surface.
• Riser and Self-Lifting: for the highest decks. The Riser is “engineered to stand up on its own”; the Self-Lifting slide “lifts itself during deployment.”
• Flume: fully custom, sold on “the feeling of flying through the air.”
• Swim-platform and freestanding slides: FreeStyle’s Cruiser XS mounts on the platform or floats on mooring ropes, and FunAir’s Apex Extreme is a 5 m freestanding slide anchored in a bay or off the stern.

Entry matters too. FunAir offers traditional, vertical and deck entries, and SYTT builds flat-entry or 45-degree angled entries. Long slides may need support underneath: a report on FreeStyle says leg support is generally recommended above 5 m. The most dramatic documented build is a 41 ft S-shaped, self-lifting slide that SYTT made with FreeStyle in 2013, one of two identical slides running from either side of a 70 m yacht’s helideck.

QuickShip or custom?

If your drop sits inside a stock band and the slide can start from a standard rail, a stock model is the quick route: FunAir’s FunSize and Hanger Mini ship within days, and Yachtbeach and FreeStyle publish stock sizes by railing or deck height. Go custom when the drop is above about 9.5 m, when you want the slide to start from a particular deck or end at the swim platform, or when you want the yacht’s colors and name on it. Custom takes longer and costs more, but the slide is designed around your yacht’s drawings from the start.

Who makes yacht slides

• FunAir (Austin, Texas): the widest range, from QuickShip FunSize and Hanger Mini slides that “can be shipped within days” to fully custom superyacht designs. It sells direct and through dealers, and Northrop & Johnson’s charter listings name FunAir and FreeStyle as the waterslide brands.
• Yachtbeach: drop-stitch, marine PVC slides sized by railing height, sold through dealers such as Ritz Marine in Malta, Mercer Yachting and Nootica. The 4.6 attaches to a swim platform, the railing or a Yachtbeach platform.
• FreeStyle Slides (St Petersburg, Florida): the FreeStyle Cruiser, which it calls “the world’s first sealed-air inflatable yacht slide,” custom-made to fit each yacht, plus the Cruiser XS that stands on a swim platform or floats on mooring ropes.
• Superyacht Tenders & Toys (SYTT) (UK and Monaco): made-to-order superyacht slides with flat or 45-degree entry, lifting bridles for a crane or davit, multiple valves for up to three pumps at once, and Marine-X high-tensile PVC it says is about 30 kg lighter on average (the PVC is made in China).
• AquaBanas: Yacht Slide 550, 650 and 750 (cm), listed on NauticExpo with inflatable straps, a water-sprayer system and a removable non-slip entry cover. Prices there exclude delivery, duties and installation.

Profiles and every model we track are in our makers and products directories. The very largest builds have their own page: superyacht slides, and self-lifting yacht slides.

Materials, features and warranty

FunAir lists the same build for all its slides: “0.6mm / 0.9mm 28*26 1000 denier PVC with FR and UV ratings,” 316 stainless hardware, hot-air welded seams, a no-jump net and vinyl arms “to prevent slide burns,” with an integrated water distribution system that runs off a standard hose connection, an electric pump and a RapidFlate blower when appropriate. It offers a 5-year limited warranty (one dealer lists 3 years). FreeStyle uses Firmatex vinyl, 28 oz on a 2013 superyacht build and 29 oz on the Cruiser Flex, and gives 5 years on its sea products. Yachtbeach uses drop-stitch marine PVC, with four high-pressure valves and a pressure-release valve on the 4.6.

One feature worth asking about on any yacht: rail loading. FunAir says its slides “sit 10–15 cm above the rails, ensuring there is no direct contact, stress, or pressure on them,” and that “proper anchor points and rigging are essential.”

Setup: crew and time

Slide	Crew	Time (maker or seller)
FunAir FunSize, Hanger Mini	1 to 2	Under 15 minutes
FunAir Hanger	Not stated	About 20 minutes (a dealer says 30)
FunAir Riser	Not stated	About 60 minutes
FunAir Self-Lifting	Fewer, thanks to self-lifting arms	“Fastest option for XL sizes”
FunAir Apex Extreme (freestanding)	4	About 30 minutes
Yachtbeach 4.6 / 6.2 and 7.2	Not stated / 2	10 to 15 minutes with an electric pump (4.6)
FreeStyle 16 ft unit	Not stated	About 20 minutes; 264 lb (press report)

Weight is the hidden part of setup. A 2.5 m Hanger Mini is about 97 kg and a 6 m Hanger about 158 kg, which is why bigger slides come with lifting straps and crews plan a lifting route. Storage space and routines are in yacht slide storage and care.

How a custom yacht slide is ordered

1. Measurements or drawings. FunAir’s engineers size slides from the yacht’s General Arrangement (GA) drawings, which it prefers, or from simple measurements taken with its Slide Measuring Guide.
2. 3D fit. FunAir makes a 3D CAD model for every custom order, so the fit, entry point and rigging are planned before anything is built.
3. Colors and logos. FunAir, FreeStyle and SYTT all offer custom colors and the yacht’s name or a charter brand.
4. Lead time. QuickShip slides ship within days; FunAir says fully custom lead times vary with the design, and its FAQ gives about 35 days for its general custom inflatables.

Big builds are planned with the shipyard: a 2015 FunAir press release named work with Feadship, Lürssen, Oceanco and Princess Yachts, with storage and access designed into the yacht.

Yacht slides on charter

For a lot of people, the first ride on a yacht water slide happens on charter. Brokers file yachts under it: Fraser has a waterslides category with slides “exceeding 13 metres,” and Northrop & Johnson listed 33 yachts with waterslides when we checked. Named examples include Utopia (62 m, with a 10 m slide) and Hospitality (50 m Westport). Fraser advises booking peak season “six months minimum” ahead. FunAir aims its Self-Lifting slide at “busy charter yachts,” where crew time matters. Our yacht charter with waterslide page lists brokers, named yachts and questions to ask.

The fun part

Picture the scene after the first ride: the slide is the great leveler. The owner’s grandchildren, a guest who flew in that morning and a very dignified uncle all end up laughing in the same patch of water, then racing each other back up the steps for another go. On a family yacht it becomes the afternoon routine (swim, slide, snorkel, repeat), and on charter it’s such a draw that brokers list yachts by it. Put a floating mat or a sea pool beside the exit, and the slide becomes the center of a whole water playground off the stern.

Yacht slide safety

• Calm, protected anchorages. Fraser: “The slide deploys when your yacht anchors in calm, protected waters. Your captain assesses conditions carefully.”
• Crew supervision. Fraser says the crew “supervises all activities” and makes sure life jackets suit each guest.
• Engines and generators. The Coast Guard warns never to sit or hang on the back deck or swim platform while engines run; carbon monoxide gathers at the stern.
• Built-in protection. FunAir’s no-jump net, vinyl arms against slide burns and water distribution keep riders centered and the surface wet.
• What isn’t published. No yacht slide maker we checked publishes a wind limit, a minimum age or a rider weight limit. The call on the day is the captain’s; ask the maker for any limits on your slide.

Our boat slide safety page has the general rules for every slide.

What a yacht slide costs: the prices we could find

Slide	Price	Source and date
Yachtbeach Mini Side	About $2,899	Nootica, search snippet, Oct 2026
FunAir Adjustable Yacht Slide (rails 4 to 5.5 m)	$6,995, “about half” the cost of a custom slide then	Launch at FLIBS, Nov 2014
Yachtbeach Magic Yachtslide 4.6	€10,499 (out of stock)	Ritz Marine, Oct 2026
FunAir, FreeStyle, SYTT, larger Yachtbeach	Quote only	Makers and dealers, Oct 2026
AquaBanas 550 to 750	Excludes delivery, duties and installation	NauticExpo, Oct 2026

Size, custom shapes, logos, self-lifting systems, pumps and shipping all move the number. The full breakdown is in how much a yacht slide costs, and the makers’ models side by side in the best yacht slides.

Yacht slides in our catalog

And the superyacht and custom designs:

Yacht slides are sold by the makers and their dealers, not online stores. If you’d like help matching one to your yacht, or a quote for a custom slide, send us your drop and deck layout through Request more information. Planning the rest of the toy box, such as a swim platform to land beside? Our sister site covers platforms for boats and yachts.

Latest guides

Yacht slide questions

What size yacht slide do I need?

Measure the drop from the rail where the slide starts to the waterline, with the yacht loaded, and match it to a maker’s band: for example 2 to 3.5 m for a FunAir Hanger Mini or 270 to 350 cm for a Yachtbeach 4.6.

Will an inflatable yacht slide damage my rails?

FunAir designs its slides to sit 10 to 15 cm above the rails with no direct contact or pressure, and plans the anchor points during design. Ask any maker how its slide is rigged on your yacht.

Can I buy a yacht water slide online?

Rarely. FunAir’s QuickShip models ship within days, but through FunAir and its dealers; Yachtbeach sells through dealers. Most other yacht slides are made to order and quoted.

How many crew does a yacht slide need?

One or two for FunAir’s FunSize and Hanger Mini (under 15 minutes), two for Yachtbeach’s 6.2 and 7.2, and four for FunAir’s freestanding Apex Extreme. Self-lifting arms cut crew on the biggest slides.

Is there a weight or age limit on a yacht slide?

None that the makers publish. Ask the maker for your slide’s limits, and follow the captain and crew on the day.

What warranty do yacht slides have?

FunAir offers a 5-year limited warranty and FreeStyle 5 years on its sea products. Older builds carried 3 years (FunAir’s 2014 adjustable slide and the 2013 SYTT and FreeStyle slide).

Back to all boat slide types, or see inflatable boat slides for smaller boats and our buying guides.