Is the term "Yachtie" derogatory?

[David M]

I have heard the term "Yachtie" used in a derogatory manner by some people and more of a neutral term by others.

What is your opinion of the word?...Derogatory or not?

[imagine2frolic]

I guess it would depend on how the speaker feels about people who YACHT AROUND....LOL. I think some people think of yachties as people in blue blazers, and lots of requirements to get in the front door. Yet another person may think of a yachtie as a person who is a cruiser. While yet another person might think the term yachtie covers all facets of the sailing life. I like to think of myself as a sailor, but not one on a big gray boat.

[slomotion]

I have only heard and used ‘yachtie’ as a synonym for live-aboard cruiser. Cruisers often refer to themselves as yachties and I always considered it kind of flattering since our boat wasn’t particularly impressive. In the Bahamas/Caribbean yachties are generally welcome and well regarded. In Georgetown, Bahamas it seemed like all the locals referred to cruisers as yachties. Much of the economy revolved around transient cruisers and they were universally glad to have us visit and spend money.

Maybe it also refers to yacht owners in general or members of a yacht club. And perhaps it has different connotations in those contexts, but I have never encountered them.

[Charlie]

As I remeber when crusing ~20 years ago the Pardey's in one of there books said something like, "Yachtie's is a term we don't like." I used it quite a bit as a generic term to describe people on boats in general. I especially liked using it in reference to this one guy who was offended by it. LOL I only met two peopl between Mexico and Australia who were offended by it.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by David M

I have heard the term "Yachtie" used in a derogatory manner by some people and more of a neutral term by others.

What is your opinion of the word?...Derogatory or not?

Like you, I've seen it used both ways.

Yachtie - Someone who is professional crew aboard megayachts. Used in a positive manor to describe themselves and co-workers in the industry.

Yachtie - A pompous wannabe who either is, or pretends to be, some rich boat guy. Usually seen at all the watering holes in his Sunday best, bragging, or yelling at Yachties from definition #1 above. A boat owner and a jerk, rather than a working man.


Both yachtie types can be seen in Ft Lauderdale, Newport (RI), and Antibes, France, among other places.

Usually, I hear liveaboards and cruisers refer to themselves as "liveaboards" and "cruisers." Or sometimes... just "sailors."

[Alan Wheeler]

Down here we have a compleatly different view of course. Yachts are sailing vessels of any size. Although the term sailboat is often considered smaller trailer type boats and then we have the smallest being sailing dinghies. Powered boats are runabouts, cabin cruisers for the trailerable and Launch for the permanent in water group. The big flash things that Americans call Yachts, all fit into one catergory of MegaYacht to us.
So down here, a yachtie is someone who sails.

[Lodesman]

I always felt the term 'yachtie' or 'yottie' was innocuous. 'WAFI' on the other hand...

[Rangiroo]

I think any term could be used in a "derogatory" manner but I also think that being offended is a CHOICE one makes....when someone intends an offence the receiver has a choice to allow it to have effect or not....

I work along these principles....I think that the other party is responsible for their BEHAVIOUR ONLY, which means that I am ENTIRELY responsible for my emotional reaction and the other party has NO responsibility for how I FEEL about something at all. Working like this makes life SO much simpler!!!! And it works in reverse too...if I (inadvertently of course....) say or do something that offends someone...all I can do is apologise for my behaviour...I WILL not apologise for your feelings as I am not responsible for them....you are....It is simple and clear...life is easy....

[cooper]

.......rag boater ...hanky blower...snail boater.....string fidler....stick boater......bed sheet boater....captain bligh....whydontyougetareal boater.....time waster....linen launcher....

The only times I have heard the term "Yachtie" it was modified by the adjective "Snotty". I have no contact with the yacht club crowd or the serious racing sailors who are usually the receivers of this derogatory term from the slow and cheap cruising sailors (like me).

[Joli]

It's just a term.

We are members of a yacht club and a sailing club. Some of the boats at the yacht club are easily worth multiples of 7 figures and some of the boats at the sailing club may be worth less then 3 figures. It doesn't matter, we are all sailing on the same water. People are just people and wealth does not define honor.

[GMac]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

Down here we have a compleatly different view of course. Yachts are sailing vessels of any size. Although the term sailboat is often considered smaller trailer type boats and then we have the smallest being sailing dinghies. Powered boats are runabouts, cabin cruisers for the trailerable and Launch for the permanent in water group. The big flash things that Americans call Yachts, all fit into one catergory of MegaYacht to us.
So down here, a yachtie is someone who sails.

Well put and very correct here but may I add -

If you live by a navy base as I do we have yachties and sailors, there is a differance.

A Yachtie does stuff on yachts. There is the odd stray 'yachtie' who is a wannabe though and they have 'Motor yachts' in other words a fizz boat. They like to use the term yachtie as it implies they actually know something about boats. In fact they usually know nothing about but just have a small penis and like to big knob around Yacht club bars (sorry about the pun ).

A Sailor is in the Navy. They don't know anything about yachts and very little about any seagoing boat actually. They usually can'r even swim and are throwing up 1Nm from the wharf, mind you those warships rock n roll very badly so that is a bit understandable. A Sailor is usually in uniform so easily spotted. If not in uniform they are again usually easily spotted as they are drunk and making arses of them selves.

So where I am a 'Yachie' is a good bloke and a 'Sailor' is in the Navy or as the locals call them 'The Soap on a Ropers'

[senormechanico]

If it's being thrown as a derogatory term, it's probably from someone who is jealous.

It wouldn't affect me in the least.

Steve B.

[GMac]

How could you use 'yachtie' as a derogatory term?
I can't think of how you could but then spending more time sailing than in English class maybe I missed something.

[GMac]

Originally Posted by cooper

.......rag boater ...hanky blower...snail boater.....string fidler....stick boater......bed sheet boater....captain bligh....whydontyougetareal boater.....time waster....linen launcher....

The term these days, thank you is 'Low carbon footprint boater'

Had a big fizz boat going off at us the other week about taking all day to get anywhere and so on. I just said "How would you like to buy some carbon credits then?" He instantly shut up