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Do you have a boat or a ship?

4K views 28 replies 25 participants last post by  artbyjody 
#1 ·
#6 ·
The distinction is way too confusing and the quiz quite humorous but makes the point that a 'ship' is something quite big and likely a commercial venture too boot.
If your sailboat has 1 mast and is Marconi rigged (aka Bermuda or Sloop rigged) you can call it a boat or a sloop or a yacht if you want to take on airs. Even those sailboats with the extra hull are Sloop rigged most of the time.
When speaking to the coast guard by VHF when requesting a pick up you should refer to your vessel as "Sailing Vessel SuchN'Such" or S/V for short. If you do get picked up by the CG then your boat will become the property of a salvor and it won't matter what you call it.
Some people prefer the more distinctive sounding "Sailing Yacht" or S/Y. I do not think that the CG will be impressed though. In their eyes it either motors or it sails. The confusing part is that most of our boats have engines too and some ships have a sail or two. Grrr.
Another term that loosely describes most of our boats is 'bark' or 'barky', coming from the Spanish/Portugee word barque. If your sailboat has a barbecue on board than using the term barque seems apt unless your barbecue catches your barque on fire. Then it is called a Total Constructive Loss. Go figure.
 
#14 ·
If we're at dock or anchor, it's a boat, but if I hit you, it's a ship. People ask me why, when I'm at the end of a finger, I have fenders on the "sea" side. They think I'm afraid of getting hit. I reply: "No, I'm afraid the dock cleats might fail, and my boat will crush three or four plastic jobs before it hits the far wall."

Yep, ship.

(I got mostly Cs and a couple of Ds...I actually need to use radio in certain conditions to talk to the bow...)
 
#16 ·
There's a simple explaination of the difference between a ship and a boat; I think it is from old nautical terminology. Of course this definition has probably changed with time since ships have become bigger; but for the most part it still holds true.

A Boat is a vessel that can be carried aboard a Ship.

A Ship is a vessel that cannot be carried aboard another Ship.

So unless you are sailing something like the Maltese Falcon; I think you own a boat. Even large ~100' or larger vessels can be carried aboard a transport ship; but again that is because ships have become much bigger than they were ~200 years ago.
 
#17 ·
My little 27' seems to be somewhere between a boat and a ship. But I thought too many questions lacked an answer between b&c. For example question 10.
10. Finally, what do you do if you run aground?
a. Get out and wade.
b. Push off with a paddle or boat hook
c. Check the tide table, try backing off, rig a kedge anchor
d. Notify your license insurance company and hire a lawyer.

Where is release the sails and start outboard and back off?
 
#21 ·
Too really understand the definition is: You can put a boat on a ship, But you can not put a ship on a boat. Thus it is all related to the size of it. Now we are getting into that kid's game; Mine is bigger then yours!?
 
#24 ·
Yacht is the sound I made after drinking too much beer as a younger man..
Sometimes, if my timing was right I prayed to 'ralph' the god the god of porcelain, but mostly I just found a gutter and made the 'yaaaaacht' sound.
I prefer boat, for yacht's I have a club.
Wait that's another thread.
 
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