A SUPERYACHT tender was launched into the Solent and passed its sea test with flying colours.

Fareham-based Wahoo RIBS Ltd trialled the first of its new LX600 designs, which it says has better efficiency than previous models.

The £200,000 vessels are used to journey to and from superyachts worth up to £40m and the first will be shipped to Phuket in Thailand.

The LX600 has a completely new interior including a table that doubles up as a sun lounger.

Wahoo marketing director Nick Band said: “This one is going to Thailand and we have got other orders in the pipeline.

“The market we work in is based on luxury yachts but even so it’s affected by the economy. We have got six orders going through our books at the moment and we will be able to employ more people on the back of it.”

Mr Band was also excited to announce the Shadow, which is a move into the “limousine”

category.

Rather than being open, limousine yacht tenders are fullyenclosed, and the 10.6m Shadow seats up to 14 guests.

Mr Band said: “We’ve got a fantastic boat still on the computer at the moment – it’s like nothing we have done before.”