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It is very common to refer to a large private boat as a “yacht” without knowing very well what its exact definition is. In this article we explain the various characteristics that generally qualify a vessel to be categorized as a yacht.
The first thing to keep in mind is that there are no written rules for casual maritime language. So, if you happen to call a large sportfishing yacht a “boat,” no one is likely to correct you (after all, it is technically a boat). Likewise, if someone wanted to call a 10-foot Boston Whaler Super Sport or a Carolina Skiff a “yacht,” go for it! (We won’t tell anyone).
What is a private yacht?
In fact, it is very common among friends to call a small boat a “yacht” in order to joke. In this sense, it is common, for example, for a person to get on his friend’s aluminum fishing boat and say, “Nice yacht!”. Of course, if that same friend were to get on a real yacht, he or she would probably be too stunned to say anything.
This begs the question: when does a boat stop being a boat and become a yacht? Is it just a question of size or are there other qualities that a boat must have before it can officially be considered a yacht?
What is a private yacht?
This article will answer all of those questions, as well as break down the different kinds of yachts, which can be classified in various ways. As for the question, “What is the difference between a yacht and a boat?” we all know (or should know) what a boat is, and that there are a wide variety of boats. As we focus on yachts and all that is unique and intriguing about them, the distinction between a yacht and any other boat will become clear.
The origin of yachts
The word “yacht” comes from the Dutch word “hunter”. The first yachts were exactly that: pirate hunters. The Dutch navy built fast sailing ships that could navigate the country’s shallow waters to hunt pirates in the 16th century. Quickly, the wealthy of Europe, particularly the English, realized the features and advantages of these ships and began to replicate and compete with them. Therefore, from the beginning, the yacht has been a specialized, relatively expensive, private boat intended for recreational use.
What is a private yacht?
In the late 19th century, there were several important developments. Standards had to be established through comparisons and yacht races. The British classified yachts by tonnage. The Americans used a classification based on length, which has prevailed to this day. Although they began as sailing vessels (and sailing yachts still exist), the steam engine supplanted wind as the primary method of propulsion in the 19th century. By 1900, gasoline and diesel engines were the preferred method of propulsion, and many boats still use them today.
What is a private yacht?
Size matters
If someone points to a large private boat and asks, “Is that a yacht?”, the appropriate answer is probably, “How big is it?”. The maritime definition of a yacht is a private pleasure boat of at least 10 meters in length. At YachtWorld, we tend to consider any boat from about 11-12 meters in length (or more) as a “yacht”. On the other hand, different types of boats come close to being that large, including some dinghies and RIBs. However, a jet ski of less than 9 meters is not usually considered a yacht. Another point to keep in mind is that if a boat cannot be towed by a car or truck on a public road without a special permit (i.e., if it is more than 3 meters wide and probably more than 10 feet long) it is likely to be considered a yacht.
What is a private yacht?
This delimitation is just where our basic yacht starts as “entry level” to be able to begin to be considered as such, since after that there are other levels of yachts even more surprising. On the one hand, yachts of 24 meters in length or more are classified as “large yachts”. On the other hand, beyond 40 meters in length, the vessel is called a “super yacht” (sometimes written as one word, “superyacht”). In this sense, the largest yacht in the world today is the super yacht Azzam, measuring 180 meters in length. The REV yacht with its 183 meters in length will surpass the Azzam when completed, as it is currently under construction (such vessels usually require more than five years to complete).
What is a private yacht?
Yachts can also be classified according to the water and wind conditions they can withstand:
- “Class A” yachts are those that can withstand winds of up to 70-80 kilometers per hour and waves of approximately 4 meters in open seas. These types of offshore yachts are built to be self-sufficient in hostile seas while sailing in open seas in winds exceeding force 8 on the Beaufort scale and include sport fishing yachts, motor yachts, large cruisers, superyachts and megayachts.
- “Class B” yachts are often referred to as “offshore vessels” and are built to navigate coastal waters within 200 miles of the coast.
- “Class C” boats are vessels built to sail on and near the coast, including waterways such as lakes, rivers and bays. Generally, they can sail in waves between 1 meter and 1.5 meters before they start to get into trouble.
- “Class D” vessels are vessels that can safely navigate in winds of 13-15 MPH and waves of half a meter or less in sheltered waterways. Note: any vessel below class B is called a dinghy, hence the difference.
What is a private yacht?
Waters of performance and accommodations on board
Yachts, since their inception, have been built to withstand long voyages in open water. Therefore, the most likely place to see a yacht is in a deep water location such as the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. According to conventional marine wisdom, vessels under 9 meters are generally considered unsuitable for rough water and extended voyages in the open ocean due to the duration of offshore tides (although there are some exceptions and opinions may vary). Thus, by definition, yachts are considered capable of extended cruising in more demanding open ocean water conditions. To facilitate this, yachts tend to have a larger and more advanced instrument panel and deep-water equipment on board than smaller pleasure craft.
What is a private yacht?
One of the obvious distinctions in this regard has to do with a yacht’s ability to provide shelter and accommodation for passengers during rough weather and sea adversities in rough waters. Most cabin cruisers and tour boats have cabins (often called “cuddies”), with narrow berths. Most yachts have bedrooms on another level, like those of a house, not to mention full-size bathrooms.
Another distinction between ships and yachts is that the latter must be crewed by professionals (although, again, this is not a hard and fast rule, as many modern yachts can be safely and comfortably driven by one or two people). Commercial ships and vessels obviously have professional sailors. Yachts, being pleasure craft, need to employ individuals who have skills that often go beyond the private owners of the vessel. Normally, the number of crew members will be double the number of potential guests on a yacht.
What is a private yacht?
Large rudders
Large yachts and superyachts tend not to be as fast as many smaller vessels, although some are surprisingly fast. A typical cruising speed might be about 12 knots (14 mph). However, there are always exceptions such as the superyacht Azzam, which can cruise at 30 knots (35 miles per hour). The relatively slow cruising speed of superyachts does not mean, however, that they have small engines. Large yachts have surprisingly large and highly sophisticated power installations. A typical medium-sized yacht may have two 260-horsepower diesel turbines that give it the ability to cruise at up to 20 miles per hour.
In contrast, a walkaround may have four outboard engines with a combined output of 700 or 800 horsepower. However, these gasoline engines are not suitable for long-range sea yacht cruising.
What is a private yacht?
Where to rent yachts for fishing in Los Cabos?
Remember that you can count on us, Yachts Rental Cabo, to help you in your search and rent a yacht for your participation in sport fishing tournaments and recreation. We will answer all your questions, contact us or write to our WhatsApp: (+52) 624 218 2300.
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What is a private yacht?