Yacht type choice - Cultural differences?

[Polux]

Originally Posted by hsi88

Terminology is something that sticks in my mind as a subtle difference between European and American sailing. Europeans tend to call anything over 20 feet a yacht, Americans tend to think of yachts as luxury boats over 40 feet. But here is where I side with the Europeans. I consider my 26 and 27 foot boats as yachts. At least I like to think so. :-)

In fact you have two currents regarding European terminology, one that calls yachts to just very luxurious and bigger boats, I would say over 60ft. In fact I never heard nobody saying that he owned a yacht, for smaller boats the term used is sailing boat or motorboat.

The other one is the old one, I mean regarding terminology were yacht means the original meaning: ""1. a vessel used for private cruising, racing, or other noncommercial purposes."
And that means pretty much anything out of a dinghy on a more technical way.
For instance open luxurious day sailers are called Yacht by the boat builders (Leonardo Yachts):
Luxury Daysailers by Leonardo Yachts - Eagle 36
And you can see that on the European yacht of the year contest are included small sailboats and day sailers. For instance this one was the 2014 winner on the category of "Special Yacht of the Year"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbcHcPnHEqs

[boatman61]

Actually the word Yacht is a bastardisation of 'Jacht.. Dutch for Hunt.. as that's what their small fast navy ships did.. hunted down smugglers etc.
As for Europeans calling their boats 'Yachts'.. obviously I must be.. and have friends of lower class.. ie not Snobs.. as 90% refer to their vessels as My Boat.. even the one's who could legitimately refer to their boats as 'Super Yachts..

[barnakiel]

This part about a yacht vs. boat vs. sailing craft vs. pleasure craft vs sailing vessel ... sure reflects the culture/-al side of it!

E.g. here in Spain a 'yate' is nearly always understood as a huge luxury pleasure MOTOR boat only. A token of being a lucky sperm.

As we sailed thru many countries where the cultural place of a small boat driven by sails varied, I stopped referring to our own boat as a 'yacht' and now I will tend to call her a 'boat' or else a 'sailing boat'. I think most neutral and technically not too far off either.

So, to sum it up, much as our yacht choices are not culture driven, our choosing of a yacht (over the other thing) may be a purely culture driven thing!

b.

[Sailor Doug]

Galleys are the real difference. Why one would have a straight outboard galley? You would loose a settee and party area. Are Europeans less social?😃⛵️


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Sailor Doug

Galleys are the real difference. Why one would have a straight outboard galley? You would loose a settee and party area. Are Europeans less social?��⛵️


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Quite the opposite. They just use the remaining settees more efficiently.

[Kenomac]

European design.... Rocks compared to Grandpa's 1980's American designs.

[mrm]

Nobody caught that:

Originally Posted by hamburking

sweeping generalizations are rarely true.

Everybody knows that.

Good one

As for the subject at hand, I am with the previous posters who suggested that choice of a boat has everything to do with intended use / cruising grounds and choice (and tone) of a topic has all to do with the demography.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

European design.... Rocks compared to Grandpa's 1980's American designs.

I think it's absolutely hideous.

[mrm]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Actually the word Yacht is a bastardisation of 'Jacht.. Dutch for Hunt.. as that's what their small fast navy ships did.. hunted down smugglers etc.

Wait a minute.. That means, that Hunters are Yachts with a Pedigree..

[mrm]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

European design.... Rocks compared to Grandpa's 1980's American designs.

But.. but.. where is the anchor??! (and what type)

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by minaret

I think it's absolutely hideous.

American market=Old designs, few choices, stuck in the 1980's, boring, not many boats, few buyers.

European market= Fresh new designs, many choices, forward looking, exciting, many boats, many buyers.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by mrm

But.. but.. where is the anchor??! (and what type)

Forward of the composting head.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by hsi88

Europeans tend to call anything over 20 feet a yacht, Americans tend to think of yachts as luxury boats over 40 feet.

Where in Europe? Like Boatman said, in the Netherlands we usually say "boot" (indeed, boat) to pretty much everything that floats.

I'm in a marina where we see 'superyachts' on a regular basis (I don't know what to call them in English. Up to 50', crew dressed in the boats' outfit etc.).
Most people just say "grote boot", which means "big boat" or "dure bak" which is a slightly more friendly way of saying "big, ugly expensive boat".

Again - Europe consists of about 50 countries or so, who really don't have all that much to do with each other. It's like discussing the Americas instead of America and lumping every country and it's peoples together and deciding they're all one and the same.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Are boats with tillers more common in Europe?

Around here (great lakes) there is a definite preference for boats with a wheel, rather than a tiller. Even if it blocks the entire cockpit. IMHO, it's because of the familiarity with the steering wheel of a car. I have found that newbs are often terrified of a tiller, especially if reversing.

Personally, I like a tiller. Easier/cheaper to install autohelm. Faster maneuvering. And on smaller boats (27' and under) you can skull, which is a great trick to get into a dock or anchorage with no engine. And finally, a stern hung rudder with tiller is preferred, so no underwater joins which might allow water into the rudder.

[lifeofreilly57]

I think the difference between calling your boat a boat, or calling it a yacht depends on your own personality and cultural background.
I happen to be quite near Newport, RI, home and visiting place to many superyachts, both sail and power, also home to the New York Yacht Club.
Most people I know refer to their craft as boats, no matter what size, I guess it's that American deep seated distrust of upper class snobbery and early puritan bent toward modesty. I've also found that the Old Money Yachties tend to call their multi million dollar toys their boat and downplay it's size and luxury status. New money types tend to refer to them as "their yacht", no matter what size it is, I'm sure you can imagine the condescending tone used.
Culturally, it may have a different connotation here in the states than it does in Europe and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with size.
HEY! I just got out of the pool, don't judge me!