Saloon or Salon...

Dec 2, 1997
8,913
- - LIttle Rock
The original definition of SALOON was "the public and/or entertaining area of a ship." An establishment that served liquor was at least the 3rd or 4th defintion. And so boat builders called the "living room" and/or living/dining combined area the "saloon." That all changed in the mid-late '80s, which is when the marine industry decided to market boats to anyone with a pulse and a credit card with a high enough credit limit to put at least a little money down. That's when they recognized that 99% of 1st time buyers only knew the liquor connection to "saloon" and decided to give it a more "proper" name: salon. Long time boat owners pitched screaming fits--"a boat is not a place to get your hair done!" (and worse). But regrettably the marine industry had almost as little regard for tradition as a large segment of our whole society has today and caved to the dumbing down of America...and we've been stuck calling the "public area of a boat" a salon ever since!

--Peggie
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,341
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
On the larger bare boats we’ve rented in the BVI, the majority being Beneteau or Jenneau, it has always been referred to as a Salon. On my boat, it’s definitely the Saloon. And last year I added swinging doors to the steps into the Saloon, albeit 1-way swingers. Yeee Haaw! Sorry…Texas former roots showing through.

CE790A5A-B5ED-4598-989F-2905BF55FFB4.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Aug 12, 2018
163
Hunter 26 Carter Lake, Colorado
Sometimes terminology actually matters, like the difference between “pull that rope over there” and “trim the jib sheet”.

Sometimes everybody knows what you’re talking about, like “let’s go sit in the salon” and “let’s go sit in the saloon”.

That said, I do try to preserve original terminology, so “let’s all go sit in the saloon!”
 
Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Saloon: British.
Salon: American.
And to the British, any boat's a yacht.
 
  • Like
Likes: njlarry