Fatty Knees Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

The Fatty Knees is widely regarded as the "gold standard" of traditional fiberglass yacht tenders, a vessel that prioritizes seaworthiness and carrying capacity over the lightweight portability of modern inflatables. Designed by the legendary Lyle Hess—the naval architect behind the rugged Bristol Channel Cutters—the Fatty Knees was birthed from a requirement for a tender that could row, sail, and tow with the same level of dependability as the mothership. Originally brought into series production by Edey & Duff in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, the boat features a distinctive hand-laid fiberglass hull with molded-in lapstrakes. These strakes are not merely aesthetic; they provide significant longitudinal stiffness and help deflect spray, making for a remarkably dry ride in choppy anchorages. The design is currently produced by the Fatty Knees Boat Company, which continues to utilize the original molds and high-specification build standards established by Edey & Duff.