M/V or M/Y

[markpierce]

"Pleasure" yacht/vessel implies debauchery to me and doesn't differentiate between sailboat and motorboat. Prefer "motor vessel." If believing someone might be confused, I'd say "35-foot motor vessel" or "recreational motor vessel." If necessary, I'd add "... with the yellow pilothouse roof." Whatever comes to mind.

 

[Peter B]

This thread only gets one word from me ..

Whatever....

"Pleasure" yacht/vessel implies debauchery to me and doesn't differentiate between sailboat and motorboat. Prefer "motor vessel." If believing someone might be confused, I'd say "35-foot motor vessel" or "recreational motor vessel." If necessary, I'd add "... with the yellow pilothouse roof." Whatever comes to mind.

I'm with Eric on this, but exactly because of all the possible descriptions many listed by Mark there, none of which are definitive...if pressed, I describe my boat as a 'trawler style coastal cruiser'...period..!

 

[psneeld]

I don't think it really matters or that one "seems" to be used more for pleasure or not.

Just a bit of listening to commercial traffic or bridge tenders gives the best clue.

In busy rivers and harbors you hear pilots constantly calling out to the "sailboat", "sportfish", "vessel", "trawler", "cruiser", "boat" and even but not as often "idiot" to state their intentions or get out of the middle of the channel.

So calling yourself dang near anything isn't as important as making sure who you are talking to you can clearly indetify you, where you are and what your intentions are.

Probably why some are so pro AIS.

Me, I just stay out of the channel and as far as I can from other traffic so I rarely talk to other vessels. Usually only bridges are interested in what you are and a name for their traffic logs.....and they don't care as long as it is a reasonable description of what you are.

 

[FF]

We call our boat LUCY.

 

[READY2GO]

An old sailor once told me the difference between a boat and a yacht is the yacht can make ice.

 

[CaptTom]

"A Vessel is anything used to transport goods or people on the water."

This was sentence one, paragraph one, page one of the old USCGA Boating Skills and Seamanship course. I can't look it up right now, but I think Chapman's has a similar definition.

Anyway, I always use M/V to distinguish from S/V. M/Y is too pretentious for my tastes, although technically any recreational vessel could be called a "yacht."

And don't count on AIS to indicate what you are. Exiting Halifax, NS harbor in pea soup last summer, Halifax Traffic Control kept calling us S/V Cygnus in comms with other traffic. Since no-one could see, and we were going about 6 knots anyway, I didn't bother to correct them.

 

[ranger58sb]

Ours is just a boat.

If pressed, I usually use M/V (or MV) to distinguish between motor and sail; if we had the latter, I'd likely use S/V (or SV).

Our cousins across the seas or to our north call pretty much anything with sails a "yacht," distinguished from "motorboats," so they would more likely use M/Y (or MY) for sail. Boats.

-Chris

 

[Art]

I'm with Eric on this, but exactly because of all the possible descriptions many listed by Mark there, none of which are definitive...if pressed, I describe my boat as a 'trawler style coastal cruiser'...period..!

Peter - Time permitting, that's a comprehensive, explanatory tag to put on a boat such as yours or mine.

However, if Captain making an emergency call due to item such as heart attack for the captain, while motoring solo adult with a young kid aboard... the captain might die before getting out that four word description. And, if the receiver of the mayday asked "please repeat that"... well..... LOL

So... although I never have had to blast out a mayday, if it did become needed, I'd first say "34' Boat"! That's descriptive enough to get the rescuers immediately dialed into what size vessel is in trouble. After starting with that "34' Boat" statement, if I'm still alive, I would answer questions the receiver may ask.

I know from discussions with boaters at docks and on the water that I can never recall our 34' Tollycraft tri cabin being called a "yacht", in any sense. It has often been referred to as a nice "boat" or "cruiser".

For landlubbers not at all versed in marine doings, when shown a picture of our Tollycraft, the word "yacht" is often used in their first sentence... Such as, "Wow, what a beautiful yacht you have there!" Landlubbers also use the word "boat" included with or in place of "yacht" during their spoken paragraphs.

All in all: The word description of a floating craft is not so much want you know... but, rather what the other person either immediately wants to know (e.g. a mayday assistance receiver) - or - what a person thinks they immediately know (e.g. a landlubber)!

Happy Boat-Model-Name Daze! - Art

 

[North Baltic sea]

old school teacher skipper asked us what the difference boat vs vessel. vessel tilts the outer curve curbs and boat inside the bend, due to the difference between the center of gravity.


It was a strange feeling at first, turns the Nordic Tug tipped as the vessel.

 

[rwidman]

I have a DVD of a couple cruising the AICW. In part of the DVD, the woman states that a "yacht" is a boat big enough to wear (high) heels on. That probably doesn't apply to most of us. I've also seen it stated that a "yacht" was a boat that's big enough to carry a boat.

I was once on a narrow portion of the AICW and heard a security call from another boat. I didn't really catch the entire transmission so when a boat came into view around the bend, I called and asked if he was the "trawler" that made the call. He responded in a huff that it was not a "trawler", but a "motor yacht". It was bigger than my boat.

Anyway, to answer the question, I call my trawler a "trawler" as in "This is the northbound trawler requesting an opening." In a typical conversation, I'll call it a "boat" and if anyone asks, I'll tell them it's a trawler.

There are those, of course, who will insist that my boat is not really a trawler. I ignore those people.

 

[rwidman]

If pressed, I usually use M/V (or MV) to distinguish between motor and sail; if we had the latter, I'd likely use S/V (or SV). .........

So is a sailboat that's had its mast (and sails, of course) removed still a "sailboat" or "S/V"? Or is it now a motor vessel?

For that matter, even if it still has its mast and sails but is under power, not under sail, is it still a sailing vessel?

 

[GFC]

After watching this thread a question came to mind:


Where and when do you ever need to identify what type of boat you have?


We go through the locks on the Columbia and Snake Rivers frequently. All I ever do when calling the lock to ask for passage is to use the name of the boat when I call and what direction I'm headed (upriver or downriver).


I can only think of one time in 30+ years of transiting the locks that I've ever been asked to describe the boat and I just gave them "60' power boat".

 

[eyschulman]

Anybody use STINK POT to define a boat I know my old sailor friends did so often?

 

[BandB]

After watching this thread a question came to mind:


Where and when do you ever need to identify what type of boat you have?

Not very often and the circumstances actually alter what you might say. If I'm communicating with cargo ships, I'm usually going to say Pleasure Boat xxx and identify where I am in relation to them. If I'm communicating to locks, they want to know size and whether power or sail, so it might be 65' Motor Boat xxx. Places like Panama Canal or the secure area around San Diego, especially when returning to the country, call for more formal.

Really, I don't see anyone caring what you call yourself, just wanting some identification.

 

[GFC]

Really, I don't see anyone caring what you call yourself, just wanting some identification.

I agree.

 

[dhays]

I have had to describe my boat only a couple of times. Once was last summer coming south through heavy fog in the Juan de Fuca Strait. I was talking to Seattle Traffice as well as container ship that was coming North. I was trying to avoid some heavy seas as well as stay out over everyone's way. I described myself to them as a 43' power boat. In that situation I wouldn't use MV as that would tend to imply a commercial vessel in my mind. I don't tend to use MY as I don't see my boat as "yacht".

 

[LarryM]

Anybody use STINK POT to define a boat I know my old sailor friends did so often?

Not since I bought a STINK POT . . . . . now I have to deal with those pesky BLOW-BOATERS

 

[ranger58sb]

Where and when do you ever need to identify what type of boat you have?

I can only think of one time in 30+ years of transiting the locks that I've ever been asked to describe the boat and I just gave them "60' power boat".

Not very often and the circumstances actually alter what you might say.

Really, I don't see anyone caring what you call yourself, just wanting some identification.

I have had to describe my boat only a couple of times. Once was last summer coming south through heavy fog in the Juan de Fuca Strait. I was talking to Seattle Traffice as well as container ship that was coming North. I was trying to avoid some heavy seas as well as stay out over everyone's way. I described myself to them as a 43' power boat. In that situation I wouldn't use MV as that would tend to imply a commercial vessel in my mind. I don't tend to use MY as I don't see my boat as "yacht".

Yep: seldom. And in those circumstances, especially if it's on radio, I usually just say "power boat," at least to start. In some instances where additional info might be necessary, I could say "sportfisher"... or "the white flybridge powerboat about 1/2 mile (or whatever) off your bow (or wherever)" or something like that.

So is a sailboat that's had its mast (and sails, of course) removed still a "sailboat" or "S/V"? Or is it now a motor vessel?

For that matter, even if it still has its mast and sails but is under power, not under sail, is it still a sailing vessel?

There is that.

Although I doubt a sailor would change his idea of what kind of boat he's driving simply because he's been dismasted or is using machinery for propulsion.

And he's entitled. (Assuming he's also still abiding by nav rules at the same time.)

-Chris

 

[BandB]

Although I doubt a sailor would change his idea of what kind of boat he's driving simply because he's been dismasted or is using machinery for propulsion.

And he's entitled. (Assuming he's also still abiding by nav rules at the same time.)

-Chris

I have heard sailboats many times announce they're under power. I've also known when they didn't indicate for them to be asked by canal or lock masters. In areas where minimum speed is required, I've heard them asked their speed.

 

[psneeld]

the only time a true, unaltered, non hybrid sailing vessel becomes a vessel under power for discussion purposes is in the collision regs....otherwise it is a sailing vessel, sailing vessel undersail, sailing vessel under both, sailing vessel under power, sailing vessel with no masts, ad nauseum...it ain't rocket science.


with all those desriptions...would one change the documentation every time something changed?


of course not.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I actually say on thr radio "pleasureboat" unless there's an obvious need for something more appropriate like "the boat you just failed to yeild to".

 

[twistedtree]

To me the only thing that really matters is letting others know if you are a motor boat or sailing boat since that makes a difference in nav rules. Beyond that, I couldn't care less whether you want to call your boat a vessel or boat or yacht or whatever.

 

[CaptTom]

So is a sailboat that's had its mast (and sails, of course) removed still a "sailboat" or "S/V"? Or is it now a motor vessel?

For that matter, even if it still has its mast and sails but is under power, not under sail, is it still a sailing vessel?

Musing one day at anchor, it struck me that I have a mast, like a sailboat. I could, in theory, hang a sail, like a sailboat. I chose to motor everywhere instead, like the overwhelming majority of cruising sailboats I see.

I decided I could call myself "S/V Cygnus" and wrote about it in my blog.

My sailing friends haven't disowned me, so either they haven't seen it, or have learned to tolerate my sad sense of humor.

 

[Nightsky]

So is a sailboat that's had its mast (and sails, of course) removed still a "sailboat" or "S/V"? Or is it now a motor vessel?

For that matter, even if it still has its mast and sails but is under power, not under sail, is it still a sailing vessel?

It is still a sailing vessel but for purposes of collision avoidance, it now has to follow the rules as per a power driven vessel.

 

[markpierce]

To me the only thing that really matters is letting others know if you are a motor boat or sailing boat since that makes a difference in nav rules. Beyond that, I couldn't care less whether you want to call your boat a vessel or boat or yacht or whatever.

Believe sailing vessels should (day shape or running lights) indicate whether they are using engine so we'd know how to treat them under the rules. With bare poles, I assume they are motorized unless obviously anchored.

 

[markpierce]

I have a DVD of a couple cruising the AICW. In part of the DVD, the woman states that a "yacht" is a boat big enough to wear (high) heels on. That probably doesn't apply to most of us.
...

So, do these high-heeled boots make the Coot a yacht?

 

[dhmeissner]

Language is so funny. I don't think the word 'yacht' is pretentious at all. The word comes from The Dutch word jacht meaning a fast sailing vessel used to hunt pirates.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yacht


Today I think anyone calling their pleasure boat a 'Trawler' or a 'Tug' is way more pretentious. Or maybe just smug.

Whatever

 

[BruceK]

... the word 'yacht' ...comes from The Dutch word jacht meaning a fast sailing vessel used to hunt pirates....

Interesting."yacht" almost always means a sailing boat here. When posting I use "sailboat", considering most TFers are in USA.

 

[Fletcher500]

I also get a bit queasy with the "yacht" word. I like the MP designation the best.

 

[Baker]

I would never call my boat a yacht unless I could land a helicopter on it!!!