When you ask somebody “what is a yacht?” the answer depends on that person’s perceptions and the level of engagement with the relevant activity. Some would answer that it’s a sailing vessel while some others that it’s a speedy cruiser.
Sailing Yacht
There is no right or wrong in the answer to the question what is a yacht. No matter what, words acquire their meaning depending on how people are expressed through them. Language is a vigorous means of communication. It is constantly evolving from one generation to the next, depending on how people use the words.
As we can derive from yacht definition, originally the word was used for something completely different from what is used today for. Later on, it was used to designate the large and luxurious private vessel. Even today, this is all that comes to mind of those who are not involved with the sport or with the leisure at sea.
Instead the yachtsmen to the question “what is a yacht?” would answer that yachts are set out the sail ones. In order to describe any non-sailing vessel, the yachtsmen will put some prefix such as motor yacht, power yacht, luxury yacht, mega yacht, etc.
So what happens in practice? When people look for sailing holidays through internet searches, which are the terms they type in? The term yacht charter is quite frequently used and the word yacht is meant to include all vessels as long as they are intended for pleasure and they can accommodate people. And this is regardless of their primary means of propulsion, naval form, size, and construction material.
If we look at the various types of pleasure vessels we will find names such as yawl or sloop, etc. But we won’t find yacht as a pleasure vessel type name. This is because the word yacht is a generic term used to describe all types of pleasure vessels regardless.
In other words, the term yacht defines and includes:
- Sail-driven or power-driven vessels.
- Monohull or multihull vessels.
- Vessels having hull shape based on displacement or planing.
- Vessels having deep single-fin keel, long keel, twin keels, or lifting keel.
- Vessels made of fiberglass, aluminum, steel, carbon fiber, ferro cement, wood, or treated wood with epoxy resins.
Sailing Mega Yacht
When however a watercraft must not be brought into what is a yacht and must be defined as boat or ship? Let’s examine size as a distinguishing criterion.
As regards the size, rather there is a downwards limit. In order to characterize something that it is a yacht, it should have a permanent galley for preparing any kinds of meals, closed shower-room with toilet, storage spaces of necessities for stay, and at least one closed cabin. In other words it has to have ample quarters to accommodate people on overnight journeys. All these together are indeed difficult to fit into something smaller than 27 feet (8.23 meters). Hence, rather we can safely hold that this is more or less the down limit for length so as to accept that a navigable means is a yacht. Further, we may confidently opt out of what is a yacht any watercraft that moves rowing or has outboard engine. Likewise, we may leave out of what is a yacht everything included in another explicit definition such as the dinghies. However, the smaller vessels among those complying with the yacht definition are also frequently referred to as sailboats or motorboats. The being of this gray zone essentially attests the existence of down limit for what is a yacht. Regarding regattas, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has officially recognized an international class by the name Sailing Yacht. The lower limit set is 30 feet (9 meters) so as a vessel to be included in this class.
Mega Yacht
The level of luxury is not determinative for what is a yacht yet it clearly establishes differentiation. Regardless of the primary means of propulsion, the term yacht does not seem enough for the very large vessels. Therefore it is customary to use the term mega yacht for vessels over 100 feet (34 meters) and super yacht for vessels over 200 feet (70 meters). Anyhow, the aforesaid delimiter intervals are not absolute. Practically there is no limit upward. At any time a yacht can be constructed that will astonish with the size, luxury, and technology of. For example the largest pleasure vessel which is under construction today, reaches 728 feet (222 meters) in length. Anyone who refers to this vessel uses the term yacht with any prefix.
And as long as we express the size of a vessel with the length rather than with the tonnage of, without doubt we include it within what is a yacht.
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