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Boat or Yacht ?

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by coyojosh, Feb 2, 2009.

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  1. coyojosh

    coyojosh New Member

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    What is the general opinion about when a 'boat' becomes a 'yacht'? Is there a certain length that determines yacht status, or is it the value, or combination of the two?

    Years ago we would deem a 40 foot pleasure craft with live aboard capabilities to be a 'yacht'. But lately, I am not so sure.
  2. Nasomi

    Nasomi New Member

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    I had always hard that a "yacht" was anything 25' up, small yachts being 25'-45', large yachts 46'-85', and luxary yachts being 86' and up.
  3. Dan Evans

    Dan Evans Senior Member

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    I see the difference between boats and yachts not as how long the craft is, but the liveaboard qualities it has such as watermakers, gens, and staterooms.
    But thats just the opinion of a guy who grew up in the desert:D

    Dan
  4. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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  5. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    i almost never use the word yacht... i dont know, it sounds funny when i hear a 50 footer beign called a yacht.

    that said it depends where you are from. Down under and also in europe, the word yacht is used for almost anything with accomodations, even a 30 foot sailboat!
  6. coyojosh

    coyojosh New Member

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    I placed this question in Technical because, a) I am a newbie and don't know any better, b) What is a yacht, technically?, c) I would never in a million years think to search for yacht+length=
    Thanks for your directions.
  7. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    I don't believe there is a technical definition of when a boat becomes a yacht. The term yacht is used in England to denote a private vessel from a commercial or military one.

    "yacht, from the Dutch jacht, which comes from another Dutch word, jachten, meaning to hurry or hunt, for the Dutch were the first to use commercial vessels for pleasure. The word also applies to large powered pleasure vessels, steam or motor yachts, as well as sailing vessels deemed too big to be called a boat or a dinghy."

    Never have seen what "too big" is defined as.
  8. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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  9. PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    In my opinion.... and with all due respect, the difference when a "boat" becomes a "yacht" is the person speaking.

    A boat, is for people who love being on the water, sailing, traveling, exploring, enriching their lives with culture, salt water, food, the ocean, etc..

    A Yacht, is typically someone speaking from the "I'm famous / your famous" club.

    If it floats, it's boat, barge, or a ship.

    To each their one I guess.

    Someone in this forum once said:
  10. scott49

    scott49 Senior Member

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    I agree I am in the NW and it seem that people look at stange when you call your yacht a yacht. I just call it a boat. People daily even ask what M/Y on our shirts stands for. :rolleyes: My boat
  11. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    A Yacht is a pleasure craft. The term generally refers to a pleasure craft suitable for living aboard (stateroom, head, galley) enabling you to claim a 2nd home deduction. In older days these would more often be found on boats (term definitions overlap) over about 40' or so. Today they've squeezed all that into as little as 21'. (maybe less) So, if you're pretentious you wouldn't be incorrect to refer to even that as a yacht. You might just feel a little foolish. A boat is "a vessel that can be carried aboard a ship" per Chapman's. With today's transport ships that could now be quite large. All these terms are only loosely defined. Quite frankly I usually find myself referring to the vessels I'm on by quite different terms not really suited for print.:cool:
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    It all depends on where you are in the country. When I was coming down the Mississippi, Tenn-Tomm, Ohio, Tennesse rivers in a 75' Hatteras MY.........people in that neck of the woods......called it everything from a mega yacht......to poor mans dream......LOL......

    But I'd say a yacht is most everything over 50'......(then again down here in Ft. Laud a 50' is an averaged size boat ) .and a megayacht 120' + but.....in let's say Ohio, they might refer to a 35' as a yacht........ I too use the terms boat......yacht.....interchangeably....... it doesn't much matter to me what you call the **** thing hehehe.......
  13. thebighawk

    thebighawk New Member

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    yachts

    Yachts are for fun, irregardless of size
  14. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    "irregardless"?:rolleyes: (Just a non-word that always bugged me. Sorry.;)
  15. 'RoundTheHorn

    'RoundTheHorn Senior Member

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    One big boat!

    After the USS Cole was attacked, they shipped it back to the United States aboard another vessel, the MV Blue Marlin. The USS Cole is 154 meters in length, has a beam of 20.4 meters, and a draft of 9.3 meters. Oh, and don't forget she has has a full load displacement of about 8,300 tons. Given the piggyback ride the destroyer got on Blue Marlin, the Cole is one big boat! :D

    USS_Cole.jpg
  16. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    [QUOTE='roundthehorn]After the USS Cole was attacked, they shipped it back to the United States aboard another vessel, the MV Blue Marlin. The USS Cole is 154 meters in length, has a beam of 20.4 meters, and a draft of 9.3 meters. Oh, and don't forget she has has a full load displacement of about 8,300 tons. Given the piggyback ride the destroyer got on Blue Marlin, the Cole is one big boat! :D

    View attachment 28593 [/QUOTE]
    That's a very sad and sobering sight.
  17. Nasomi

    Nasomi New Member

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    I think that's an incredible sight. To imagine, what we as humans, can do. At a measly 5'10" average, able to lift 80-150lbs average, to concievably create such a unimaginable boat such as the USS Cole even, and then, to have another boat on hand that can carry it completely out of the water. Simply unimaginable to me.

    And I think you might have meant sombering.
  18. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I don't exactly think the USS Cole was what Chapmans had in mind when they defined boat. I would hardly call the USS Cole a boat by any means. I don't think any of our enemies would call it a boat if it was bearing down on them. I never would have guessed that we'd have a submersible ship that could support and carry the weight of something of the USS Cole.
  19. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

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    "I never would have guessed that we'd have a submersible ship that could support and carry the weight of something of the USS Cole."

    "We" don't. It was built by Taiwanese for Norwegians and is now owned by Dockwise Shipping.
  20. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Hi Marmot,

    He was referring to "we" as humans. ;)

    And talk about lifting heavy things, Dockwise is lifting spirits with their monthly dock party Friday night. Going?