I know of a powerboater who owns a fifty something footer in S. Cal, spends most of the time at the marina, and only refers to his boat as his "yacht". As you can guess he is pretty proud of it (and himself). I had a mutual friend (non boater) ask me why does he call his a yacht? Other than the obvious answer, I struggled with the true definition of yacht vs boat? Can anybody help? Or is it just in the eye (mind) of the beholder? Happy Memorial Day. Bob
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The Brits refer to all sailboats as yachts
And technically any recreational vessel is a yacht...to distinguish it from commercial vessels. According to some early editions of Chapmans, a recreational boat becomes a yacht at 40'. However, in the US, according to the etiquette mavens, proper manners dictate that one should NEVER refer to one's own vessel as " my yacht," but only as "my boat," even if it's 150'. To refer to it as a yacht is pretentious, and therefore very bad manners. But I like this definition best: a yacht what you call your boat when among people you're sure will never see it.
And technically any recreational vessel is a yacht...to distinguish it from commercial vessels. According to some early editions of Chapmans, a recreational boat becomes a yacht at 40'. However, in the US, according to the etiquette mavens, proper manners dictate that one should NEVER refer to one's own vessel as " my yacht," but only as "my boat," even if it's 150'. To refer to it as a yacht is pretentious, and therefore very bad manners. But I like this definition best: a yacht what you call your boat when among people you're sure will never see it.
My take on this, if I may oversimplify, is that a Yacht is any vessel
authorized to fly the yacht ensign when in US waters. The Yacht Ensign was specifically approved by congress and authorized to be flown on US Documented Yachts. Vessels not documented are therefore ships or boats depending on their size. Documented Yachts used to be exempt from state registration rules but are not any longer. For example I have a documented yacht but I still must register it in the state of Washington and show a state registration decal on the forward part of my hull, but I do not have to display the state registration numbers required of "boats" covered by the state's motorboat act. If your friend has no state registration numbers on the fwd part of his hull, then chances are that it is truly a yacht. Joe S
authorized to fly the yacht ensign when in US waters. The Yacht Ensign was specifically approved by congress and authorized to be flown on US Documented Yachts. Vessels not documented are therefore ships or boats depending on their size. Documented Yachts used to be exempt from state registration rules but are not any longer. For example I have a documented yacht but I still must register it in the state of Washington and show a state registration decal on the forward part of my hull, but I do not have to display the state registration numbers required of "boats" covered by the state's motorboat act. If your friend has no state registration numbers on the fwd part of his hull, then chances are that it is truly a yacht. Joe S
It's funny , depends on who's saying the word yacht.
If I was standing on a dock and a sailor who has been there and back (say Joseph Shirley) mentioned that he was spending the day on "yacht repair", I would probably not even notice the word yacht. But if some loud dude, wearing a captain's hat and a pinky ring, was talking on his cell phone and inviting people "down to the yacht for a drink" and he is standing on a 30 foot Bay Liner, sun faded with the shore cords hangin in the water- this always makes me laugh. I guess as long as everybody is having fun, it dosen't matter at all. Probably be this way for ever. Sort of like the saying "all hat and no cattle"
If I was standing on a dock and a sailor who has been there and back (say Joseph Shirley) mentioned that he was spending the day on "yacht repair", I would probably not even notice the word yacht. But if some loud dude, wearing a captain's hat and a pinky ring, was talking on his cell phone and inviting people "down to the yacht for a drink" and he is standing on a 30 foot Bay Liner, sun faded with the shore cords hangin in the water- this always makes me laugh. I guess as long as everybody is having fun, it dosen't matter at all. Probably be this way for ever. Sort of like the saying "all hat and no cattle"
I have a...
Very wealthy friend who owns a "Mega-Boat". Heck, he paid over 1 million just for his slip at the Ocean Reef Club! He is a good guy, and about as down to earth as it gets. He has NEVER once referred to his vessel as a yacht! Contrast that with my "keep up with the Jones'" neighbor who owns a 30 footer that he constantly refers to as a yacht. This guy makes me want to throw up every time I talk to him and he makes 1/60th what my buddy with the Mega-Boat" makes yet if you talk to him you'd think he was Bill gates.. It's all about how big or small your "rig" is and your "male inferiority complex" as to what you call your BOAT!! And no I'm not talking about the mast.... I own a USED BOAT...
Very wealthy friend who owns a "Mega-Boat". Heck, he paid over 1 million just for his slip at the Ocean Reef Club! He is a good guy, and about as down to earth as it gets. He has NEVER once referred to his vessel as a yacht! Contrast that with my "keep up with the Jones'" neighbor who owns a 30 footer that he constantly refers to as a yacht. This guy makes me want to throw up every time I talk to him and he makes 1/60th what my buddy with the Mega-Boat" makes yet if you talk to him you'd think he was Bill gates.. It's all about how big or small your "rig" is and your "male inferiority complex" as to what you call your BOAT!! And no I'm not talking about the mast.... I own a USED BOAT...
A minor correction...
There are no rules for the flying of any flags on board American vessels whether they be documented or not documented. Congress rescinded all laws pertaining to American flags sometime in the late 1980s. The American Ensign (with the fouled anchor) was designated by congress in the late 1800s to let port officials know whether the boat (yacht?) approaching the harbor was commercial or recreational (I think the term in those days was private) so that they could send out a pilot boat to tax the commercial craft. That flag announced that the craft was private and did not have to pay port fees. That law was also rescinded in the late 1980s. While there are traditions in flags as espoused by Chapman's book, you may fly any flag you want on any part of your boat. A yacht is anything you want it to be.
There are no rules for the flying of any flags on board American vessels whether they be documented or not documented. Congress rescinded all laws pertaining to American flags sometime in the late 1980s. The American Ensign (with the fouled anchor) was designated by congress in the late 1800s to let port officials know whether the boat (yacht?) approaching the harbor was commercial or recreational (I think the term in those days was private) so that they could send out a pilot boat to tax the commercial craft. That flag announced that the craft was private and did not have to pay port fees. That law was also rescinded in the late 1980s. While there are traditions in flags as espoused by Chapman's book, you may fly any flag you want on any part of your boat. A yacht is anything you want it to be.
ice
An old Yankee sailor told me the difference betweden a boat and a yacht was whether you could make ice for your drink at the end of the day. Sounded reasonable to me. pant pant.
An old Yankee sailor told me the difference betweden a boat and a yacht was whether you could make ice for your drink at the end of the day. Sounded reasonable to me. pant pant.
It is a shame there is no flag ediquette any more
The captain of the sailing club I used to belong to, flys his captains flag over the American flag...... r.w.landau
The captain of the sailing club I used to belong to, flys his captains flag over the American flag...... r.w.landau
the US Yacht Ensign....
...was not designed by Congress. It was designed in 1848 by the New York Yacht Club as a way to let the revenue service know that a vessel was exempt from customs duties. Use of the US Yacht ensign was repealed by the Vessel Documentation Act of 1980. No one, not even a documented yacht, is required to fly it.
...was not designed by Congress. It was designed in 1848 by the New York Yacht Club as a way to let the revenue service know that a vessel was exempt from customs duties. Use of the US Yacht ensign was repealed by the Vessel Documentation Act of 1980. No one, not even a documented yacht, is required to fly it.
Pattens..
Quote: "Who painted Cupecoy ?" Pattens Boat Yard in Kittery painted her. She looks great from 6 feet but when you look close they slacked on some detail stuff. I would not recommend them of you are picky. If you are looking for a very good local yard Dodi at Royal River Boat Yard is about the best I've seen and his work is flawless. I would have preferred he did the paint! I notice you're in Falmouth. What is your boat? NOW BACK TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING!
Quote: "Who painted Cupecoy ?" Pattens Boat Yard in Kittery painted her. She looks great from 6 feet but when you look close they slacked on some detail stuff. I would not recommend them of you are picky. If you are looking for a very good local yard Dodi at Royal River Boat Yard is about the best I've seen and his work is flawless. I would have preferred he did the paint! I notice you're in Falmouth. What is your boat? NOW BACK TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING!
I like Peggy's explanation.
Not really caring what you call it, it is still just a big hole in the water to throw money into. I do also like the ice for your drink thing. I guess if you have an icemaker on your boat, you can afford to be a little pretentious. Personally, I don't see the point in having a boat and just keeping it at the marina.
Not really caring what you call it, it is still just a big hole in the water to throw money into. I do also like the ice for your drink thing. I guess if you have an icemaker on your boat, you can afford to be a little pretentious. Personally, I don't see the point in having a boat and just keeping it at the marina.
Yacht: Yes or No?
If I own it, its not a yacht. Actually, I personally have never known anyone to call their boat a yacht. When some non-boaters ask me how big it is (the boat), and I tell them 39 feet, they usually reply with "Oh, you have a yacht". I quickly respond with "noooo, I have a sailboat, Donald Trump has a yacht". To me, a yacht is an IMAGE of something owned by a mega millioniare that we all see on TV. Anything short of that is a boat regardless of what the actual defination of a yacht is. When I hear the word 'yacht', it implies certain expectations. Tony B
If I own it, its not a yacht. Actually, I personally have never known anyone to call their boat a yacht. When some non-boaters ask me how big it is (the boat), and I tell them 39 feet, they usually reply with "Oh, you have a yacht". I quickly respond with "noooo, I have a sailboat, Donald Trump has a yacht". To me, a yacht is an IMAGE of something owned by a mega millioniare that we all see on TV. Anything short of that is a boat regardless of what the actual defination of a yacht is. When I hear the word 'yacht', it implies certain expectations. Tony B
i'm with sailor tony
that is why i have never joined a yacht club or gone in for yacht racing. now if i could simply enter a boat race at a boat club i might be interested. however, when it comes time to sell... i would bet that a yacht broker could get me more $$$ than a boat salesman.
that is why i have never joined a yacht club or gone in for yacht racing. now if i could simply enter a boat race at a boat club i might be interested. however, when it comes time to sell... i would bet that a yacht broker could get me more $$$ than a boat salesman.
boat vs yacht
I used to think the definition of a yacht was a vessel that was to big be carried as deck cargo aboard another vessel. To me this means 65ft plus. I sail out of a Marblehead MA its one of the biggest sailing harbors in the Northeast. There are many big boats there Ive sailed of some of them over the past 40 years. Big Hinkleys etc: In all these years I dont recall anyone calling their boat a yacht Its a boat period. I dont care how fancy it is. Anyone who starts talking yachts to me has a problem as far as im concerned.
I used to think the definition of a yacht was a vessel that was to big be carried as deck cargo aboard another vessel. To me this means 65ft plus. I sail out of a Marblehead MA its one of the biggest sailing harbors in the Northeast. There are many big boats there Ive sailed of some of them over the past 40 years. Big Hinkleys etc: In all these years I dont recall anyone calling their boat a yacht Its a boat period. I dont care how fancy it is. Anyone who starts talking yachts to me has a problem as far as im concerned.
count the spreaders
If it has more than one set of spreaders, it's a yacht. If it has more than two sets of spreaders, it's a "proper" yacht. If it has more than three sets of spreaders, it's a mega-yacht. But if it hasn't got spreaders, it's just another friggin' stinkpot. Whether it's a yacht, or not, isn't the issue. All that matters is whether you call it a yacht, or not.
If it has more than one set of spreaders, it's a yacht. If it has more than two sets of spreaders, it's a "proper" yacht. If it has more than three sets of spreaders, it's a mega-yacht. But if it hasn't got spreaders, it's just another friggin' stinkpot. Whether it's a yacht, or not, isn't the issue. All that matters is whether you call it a yacht, or not.
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