Self-Lifting Yacht Slides: How They Work and Who Builds Them

It’s turnaround week on a busy charter yacht. One group of guests leaves on Saturday morning, the next arrives that afternoon, and somewhere between the laundry, the provisioning and the tender runs, the crew are expected to have the giant slide up again by Sunday lunch. On a 60 m yacht, that slide can drop more than 10 m from the upper deck to the water, and hanging it over the rail is real work. A self-lifting yacht slide is the answer some makers offer: a custom superyacht slide designed to raise itself into position as it’s deployed. This guide explains what that means, who builds one, how it compares with other big-slide designs, what isn’t published yet, and what to ask before you order.

In short: a self-lifting yacht slide is an inflatable superyacht slide that lifts itself during deployment, so fewer crew are needed and setup is faster. FunAir builds its Self-Lifting slide custom for drops of 10 m and more on yachts over 60 m, aimed at busy charter yachts, and calls it the fastest option at XL sizes. In 2013, Superyacht Tenders & Toys and FreeStyle delivered two 41 ft self-lifting slides for a 70 m yacht. It’s quote-only.

What is a self-lifting yacht slide?

Most yacht slides are hung: the crew inflate the slide, then lift and position it over the rail, using handles, straps and sometimes a crane, and tie it to planned anchor points. On a small yacht that’s a quick job. On a superyacht with a 10 m drop, the slide is long, heavy and awkward. FunAir describes its Self-Lifting slide simply: it “lifts itself during deployment making crew lives easier”. In its FAQ, FunAir adds that the Self-Lifting slide is “the fastest option for XL sizes, with self-lifting arms reducing both crew requirement and setup time significantly”.

FunAir’s table lists it at 10 m and up, for yachts of 60 m and more, custom only, with “busy charter yachts” as the intended user. Like every FunAir custom slide, it’s designed from the yacht’s General Arrangement drawings or a measuring guide and modelled in 3D CAD before it’s built. See superyacht slides for that process step by step.

Why big slides need help getting up

The published numbers show how quickly slide work grows with size:

• Small slides: FunAir says its 1.5 m FunSize and 2 to 3.5 m Hanger Mini take one or two crew under 15 minutes.
• Mid-size: a standard Hanger (4 to 6.5 m) takes about 20 minutes.
• Large: FunAir’s Riser (9.5 m and up) takes around 60 minutes.
• Weight: Yachtbeach’s drop-stitch slides go from 46 kg (the 4.6, with bag) to about 116 kg (the 6.2), and the 6.2 and 7.2 are handled by two crew.

On a charter yacht where the slide goes out most days and must come in quickly when the anchorage gets busy or the weather turns, every crew-hour counts. That’s the problem a self-lifting design targets.

Self-lifting vs other big yacht slide designs

Design	How it goes up	Stated size	Setup (maker)
FunAir Hanger Extreme	Hung over the rail from a top or sun deck; RapidFlate blower	7–9.5 m, yachts 50 m+	Not published
FunAir Riser	“Engineered to stand up on its own”; RapidFlate	9.5 m+, yachts 60 m+	Around 60 minutes
FunAir Self-Lifting	Lifts itself during deployment (self-lifting arms)	10 m+, yachts 60 m+	Fastest at XL sizes; minutes not published
SYTT made-to-order slides	Lifting bridles for crane or davit	Made to order	Not published
FunAir Apex Extreme	Freestanding; crane-lifted into position, anchored	5 m tall	About 30 minutes, four crew

FunAir says its RapidFlate system cuts inflation and take-down time on the Riser “by six times compared with traditional methods”, so a fast blower and a self-lifting structure solve different parts of the same problem: one fills the slide, the other gets it into place.

Documented self-lifting slides

FunAir Self-Lifting. A custom design in FunAir’s current range, with the facts above. FunAir doesn’t publish a price, weight or a specific setup time for it.

Superyacht Tenders & Toys with FreeStyle, 2013. Yacht Charter Fleet reported that Superyacht Tenders & Toys, in partnership with FreeStyle Cruiser, created a 41 ft custom S-shaped self-lifting slide, one of two identical slides for a 70 m yacht, running down to the sea from either side of the helideck. The slides were fully custom, with lightweight Airstairs and ergonomic handles, built from 28 oz Firmatex, 100% hot-air welded, with a 3-year warranty. The report doesn’t describe how the lifting works.

What makers don’t publish (yet)

We looked for the details a captain would want and couldn’t find them in public sources: how the self-lifting arms work, how many crew a self-lifting slide needs in minutes and people, the slide’s weight and packed size, and its price. No yacht slide maker we checked publishes a wind limit or a minimum rider age either. Ask for these in writing when you request a quote, along with the operating manual.

Is a self-lifting yacht slide right for your yacht?

• The drop. FunAir’s Self-Lifting starts at 10 m. Below that, a Hanger or Hanger Extreme may do the job. Measure with our rail-to-waterline guide.
• How often it goes out. A family yacht that deploys the slide a few times a summer has different needs from a charter yacht deploying it daily.
• Crew size. Fewer hands on deck makes a self-lifting design more attractive.
• Storage and lifting. Where it lives when deflated, and whether a crane or davit can reach it.
• New build or refit. FunAir said in 2015 that it collaborates with shipbuilders including Feadship, Lürssen, Oceanco and Princess Yachts so that storage and access for inflatables are designed into the yacht. If you’re building, raise the slide early.

Questions to put to the maker

Because so little is published, the quote stage is where you learn how a self-lifting slide really performs. Ask each maker, in writing:

1. How does the lifting work, and what powers it?
2. How many crew, and how many minutes, to deploy and to recover it?
3. What does it weigh, and what is its packed size?
4. Which anchor points does it need on our yacht, and who fits them?
5. What’s included: blowers, pumps, water system, lifting straps, storage bag?
6. What operating limits does the manual give, and who trains the crew?
7. What does the warranty cover, and for how long? (FunAir states 5 years limited on its slides; the 2013 SYTT and FreeStyle slides came with 3 years.)
8. What is the lead time from approved design to delivery?

How to ask for a self-lifting slide

Gather the yacht’s length and GA drawing (or the rail-to-waterline height from the deck you’d use), where you’d like the slide, your crane or davit details, how often it will be used and when you need it. Then use Request more information: we’re an independent guide, we don’t sell slides, and we’ll pass your request to makers who build them. For budget context, see how much a yacht slide costs; for every slide type, our marine slides guide; and for stock models, the best yacht slides. More big-yacht pieces are in luxury yacht slides.

Self-lifting yacht slide questions

What size yacht needs a self-lifting slide?

FunAir lists its Self-Lifting slide for yachts of 60 m and over with drops of 10 m and more. The 2013 SYTT and FreeStyle self-lifting slides were built for a 70 m yacht.

How long does a self-lifting slide take to set up?

FunAir doesn’t publish minutes for it, but calls it the fastest option for XL sizes. For comparison, its Riser takes around 60 minutes.

Can a self-lifting slide come with our logo?

FunAir says all its slides can be made in custom sizes and colours with the yacht or charter brand logo. FreeStyle also offers colour and logo options.

Does a self-lifting slide still need anchor points?

Yes. FunAir says proper anchor points and rigging are essential, and they’re planned during design for every custom slide.

How much does a self-lifting yacht slide cost?

Not published: it’s a custom, quote-only design. See yacht slide cost for the prices we could verify on smaller slides.