When does a boat become a ship?

rsn48 · 07-11-2007, 12:52

Probably the most misused words in nautical lingo has to be the useage of the words "boat" and "ship." For example, almost all the crew on BC Ferries call their ships, boats; I'm forever saying, they aren't boats, they're ships.

I'm trying to remember what I was taught in the Canadian Navy about this issue, and it seems to me (on shaky memory grounds here) that the difference between a boat and a ship had to do with number of continuous decks the vessel had. I seem to recall that two or more continuous decks - covering the entire ship -constituted a ship.

I see looking at definitions of a ship on the net, that any vessel that had three or more (?) square rigged masts was a ship, not a helpful definition for today.

The remaining definitions are basically a large boat is a ship; again not very helpful. Even my Oxford definition wasn't very helpful.

Any other Navy types here other than Canadian, were you provided a definition when you were or are active? Coast Guard definitions?

RMcBride · 07-11-2007, 12:56

Boat = smaller

Ship = bigger

BC Ferry = sea bottom finder

S/V Antares · 07-11-2007, 13:16

You "ship out" when leaving port but you are on the "Boat" When you get off the boat in a hurry you "Abandon Ship" by maning the "Boats" We try to keep everything "Ship Shape" but no one can tell me what shape the shape of a ship is!

44'cruisingcat · 07-11-2007, 13:28

2 or more full length decks above the waterline = a ship. Thats why submarines are called boats regardless of how huge they are - only 1 deck above the waterline.

**GordMay** · 07-11-2007, 13:50

A boat becomes a ship, when it carries boats.

Tnflakbait · 07-11-2007, 13:50

I figure if you want to call your boat a ship, just go ahead and do it.

slomotion · 07-11-2007, 13:52

Yachties doan need no estinkin definitions. In his writings Hal Roth always referred to his 35' sloop, Whisper, as "the ship." It may be a boat, but if it sails oceans, it's also a ship.

LtBrett · 07-11-2007, 14:55

The best definition I've heard has to do with the direction a vessel heels in a turn. Boats heel to the inside of the turn while ships heel to the outside.

Brett

Vasco · 07-11-2007, 15:00

A "ship" must have at least three masts and all masts must be square rigged.

**knottybuoyz** · 07-11-2007, 15:09

I was always told that a boat becomes a ship when it's capable of carrying it's own lifeboat (not tender or workboat). According to wikipedia what I was told was not quite right.

Ship - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SkiprJohn · 07-11-2007, 15:22

Well, when I was a young 17 year old Navy sailor, my "sea daddy" told me that boats are carried on ships. Anything large enough to carry boats aboard is a ship and anything small enough to be carried aboard a ship is a boat.
The exception being a submarine which is always a boat and I think it is more tradition because they originally were pretty small and could be launched from ships. My sailboat is a boat and I prefer her to be called a boat even if she is a pleasure and could be considered a yacht or my ship.
I cringe when I hear large ships being referred to as boats especially by Navy sailors who really should know better.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

GreyRaven · 07-11-2007, 15:54

When does a woman become a lady?

Brandywine · 07-11-2007, 16:06

So would 12 foot RIB with an inflatable kayak in a bag on board be a ship?

GreyRaven · 07-11-2007, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandywine

So would 12 foot RIB with an inflatable kayak in a bag on board be a ship?

Would you trust it with your life?

jpcraw · 07-11-2007, 16:39

A boat becomes a ship when you are typing up the classified ad.

07-11-2007, 12:52	#1
rsn48 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Deep Cove - North Vancouver, BC Boat: Catalina 27 - Leaky Cauldron Posts: 350	When does a boat become a ship? Probably the most misused words in nautical lingo has to be the useage of the words "boat" and "ship." For example, almost all the crew on BC Ferries call their ships, boats; I'm forever saying, they aren't boats, they're ships. I'm trying to remember what I was taught in the Canadian Navy about this issue, and it seems to me (on shaky memory grounds here) that the difference between a boat and a ship had to do with number of continuous decks the vessel had. I seem to recall that two or more continuous decks - covering the entire ship -constituted a ship. I see looking at definitions of a ship on the net, that any vessel that had three or more (?) square rigged masts was a ship, not a helpful definition for today. The remaining definitions are basically a large boat is a ship; again not very helpful. Even my Oxford definition wasn't very helpful. Any other Navy types here other than Canadian, were you provided a definition when you were or are active? Coast Guard definitions?

07-11-2007, 13:16	#3
S/V Antares Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Annapolis USA Boat: 1983 Gulfstar 36 Antares Posts: 353	You "ship out" when leaving port but you are on the "Boat" When you get off the boat in a hurry you "Abandon Ship" by maning the "Boats" We try to keep everything "Ship Shape" but no one can tell me what shape the shape of a ship is! __________________ Will & Muffin Lucy the dog "Yes, well.. perhaps some more wine" (Julia Child)

07-11-2007, 13:50	#5
GordMay Administrator Site Administrator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W Boat: C.L.O.D. (Cruiser Living On Dirt) Posts: 9,728 Images: 232	A boat becomes a ship, when it carries boats. __________________ Gord May ~~_/)_~~ (Gord & Maggie - "Southbound") "If you didn't have time/$ to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"

07-11-2007, 15:00	#9
Vasco Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Toronto in summer, further south in winter. Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore" Ben393 "Breathless" Posts: 1,891 Images: 34	A "ship" must have at least three masts and all masts must be square rigged. __________________ Rick I Toronto

07-11-2007, 15:09	#10
knottybuoyz Moderator Site Helper Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Canada Boat: Sunray Mirage 25' Posts: 1,851 Images: 85	I was always told that a boat becomes a ship when it's capable of carrying it's own lifeboat (not tender or workboat). According to wikipedia what I was told was not quite right. Ship - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia __________________ Yours Aye! Rick ~^~^~^^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~~^~^~^^~~^~^ "Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief even denied to prayer." Mark Twain

07-11-2007, 12:56	#2
RMcBride Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Boat: 1976 Catalina 27 Posts: 3 Images: 1	Boat = smaller Ship = bigger BC Ferry = sea bottom finder

07-11-2007, 13:28	#4
44'cruisingcat Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,543 Images: 32	2 or more full length decks above the waterline = a ship. Thats why submarines are called boats regardless of how huge they are - only 1 deck above the waterline.

07-11-2007, 13:50	#6
Tnflakbait Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Southern California Boat: CSK, 33' Aita Pe'ape'a Posts: 312 Images: 6	I figure if you want to call your boat a ship, just go ahead and do it.

07-11-2007, 13:52	#7
slomotion Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lakeland, FL Posts: 555	Yachties doan need no estinkin definitions. In his writings Hal Roth always referred to his 35' sloop, Whisper, as "the ship." It may be a boat, but if it sails oceans, it's also a ship.

07-11-2007, 14:55	#8
LtBrett Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 117	The best definition I've heard has to do with the direction a vessel heels in a turn. Boats heel to the inside of the turn while ships heel to the outside. Brett

07-11-2007, 15:22	#11
SkiprJohn Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kea'au, Big Island, Hawaii Boat: Cascade, Cutter, 42 - "Casual" Posts: 3,915	Well, when I was a young 17 year old Navy sailor, my "sea daddy" told me that boats are carried on ships. Anything large enough to carry boats aboard is a ship and anything small enough to be carried aboard a ship is a boat. The exception being a submarine which is always a boat and I think it is more tradition because they originally were pretty small and could be launched from ships. My sailboat is a boat and I prefer her to be called a boat even if she is a pleasure and could be considered a yacht or my ship. I cringe when I hear large ships being referred to as boats especially by Navy sailors who really should know better. Kind Regards, JohnL

07-11-2007, 15:54	#12
GreyRaven Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Boat: Warwick Cardinal Centre Cockpit 46 - S/V "Spirit" Posts: 64 Images: 23	On ships When does a woman become a lady?

07-11-2007, 16:06	#13
Brandywine Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Napa, CA Boat: Shopping for catamaran Posts: 77	So would 12 foot RIB with an inflatable kayak in a bag on board be a ship?

07-11-2007, 16:39	#15
jpcraw Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 33	A boat becomes a ship when you are typing up the classified ad.

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