Ever wonder what is it about a boat that makes it a yacht and when that yacht becomes a ship? It may sound like a strange question, but in actuality it is a very good one; and here’s your answer…
It all began way back with the Dutch word, jaght, which means hunter. In other terms, back in the day, a jaght was considered those sailing vessels that were light enough and fast enough for the navy to use in their quest to chase pirates and other sketchy characters.
Then, in 1660, when the English King Charles used a “jaght” for travel, the word morphed again – this time into a boat which carried more elite, upper class folks. When “jaghts” became popular among England’s nobility, they also became associated with luxury.
Today, there are two types of yachts – sailing yachts and yachts that are motor-powered. As far as size, here’s how it all works. Luxury boating vessels under 12 meters are usually considered cabin cruisers; those over 24 meters in length are referred to as super yachts; and a mega yacht is 50 meters plus. And just to give you a little more clarity, the world’s biggest yacht is 728 feet!
Okay, so where does the whole ship thing come in? Ships are very large as well, but more often used as working vessels than recreations ones.
So is bigger always better? That depends how you intend to use it!
