| A yacht (From Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt") was | | | | |
| originally defined as a light, fast sailing | | | | Cruisers are by the far the most common in |
| vessel used to convey important persons. | | | | private usage, making up most of the 7 m to |
| | | | 14 m (23 to 46 ft) range. These vessels can |
| In later parlance, the definition came to | | | | be quite complex in design, as designers try |
| cover a wider range of vessels, propelled by | | | | to find a balance between docile handling |
| sail, power, or both and used for pleasure | | | | qualities, interior space, good light-wind |
| cruising and/or yacht racing. Often, | | | | performance and on-board comfort. The huge |
| non-sailing yachts are also referred to as | | | | range of such craft, from dozens of builders |
| motor yachts, to differentiate them from | | | | worldwide make it hard to give a single |
| yachts designed for use with sail power. | | | | illustrative description. However, most |
| | | | favour a teardrop-planform hull, with a wide, |
| Sailing yachts fall into four basic | | | | flat bottom and deep single-fin keel to give |
| categories: 'Day Sailing', 'Weekender', | | | | good stability. Most are single-mast |
| 'Cruiser' and 'Racer'. | | | | 'Bermudan sloop' rigged vessels, with a |
| | | | single fore-sail (of the 'jib' or 'Genoa') |
| Day Sailing yachts | | | | type and a single mainsail. Spinnaker sails, |
| | | | with huge areas, are often supplied for |
| Day Sailing yachts are small sub-6 metre (20 | | | | lightwind use. These types are often chosen |
| foot) vessels. Sometimes called dinghies, | | | | as family vessels, especially those in the 8 |
| they often have a retractable keel, | | | | to 12 metre (32 to 40 ft) range. Such a |
| centerboard, or daggerboard. Day sailing | | | | vessel will usually have many rooms below |
| yachts do not have a cabin as they are | | | | deck. Typically there will be 3 double-berth |
| designed for hourly or daily use and not for | | | | cabins, a single large saloon (galley, |
| ovenight journeys. | | | | seating and navigation area) and a 'head' |
| | | | (toilet/shower-room). The interior will be |
| Day sailing yachts are not necessarily sub 6 | | | | finished in wood panelling, with plenty of |
| meter vessels, and they are not dinghies, and | | | | storage space. Cruisers are quite capable of |
| they sometimes do have cabins which will | | | | taking on long-range passages of many |
| allow for cooking and sleeping. Please see | | | | thousands of miles, so have large freshwater |
| the Morris website, reference Morris 42 | | | | tanks. Such boats have a cruising speed of |
| daysailer. | | | | around 10 km/h. This basic design is typical |
| | | | of the standard types produced by the major |
| Weekender yachts | | | | yacht-builders. Most large luxury yachts |
| | | | (15m+, 50 feet+) are also cruisers, but their |
| Weekender yachts are small, sub-9.5 metre (30 | | | | design varies greatly as they are usually |
| foot) vessels. They often have twin-keels or | | | | 'one off' designs to the specific needs of |
| lifting keels. This allows them to operate in | | | | the buyer. |
| shallow waters, and if needed 'dry out' | | | | |
| – become beached as the tide falls, | | | | Racing yachts |
| the hull shape (or twin-keel layout) allows | | | | |
| the boat to sit upright when there is no | | | | Inshore yacht racing in Sydney Harbour, |
| water. Such boats are designed to undertake | | | | AustraliaRacing yachts try to reduce the |
| short journeys, rarely lasting more than 2 to | | | | wetted surface area (which creates drag) by |
| 3 days (hence their name). Of course, in | | | | keeping the hull light whilst having a deep |
| coastal areas long trips may be undertaken in | | | | and heavy bulb keel, allowing them to support |
| a series of short hops. Weekenders usually | | | | a tall mast with a great sail area. Modern |
| only have a simple cabin, often consisting of | | | | designs tend to have a very wide beam, with a |
| a single 'saloon', with bedspace for 2-3 | | | | flat bottom, to provide buoyancy preventing |
| people, and clever use of ergonomics to allow | | | | an excessive heel angle. Speeds of up to 40 |
| both galley (kitchen) space, seating and | | | | mph can be obtained in good conditions. |
| space for navigation equipment. There is | | | | Dedicated racing yachts sacrifice crew |
| limited space for large stores of water/food. | | | | comfort for speed, having basic accommodation |
| Weekenders tend to be slower vessels due to | | | | to reduce weight. Depending on the type of |
| their small sail area, and due to their small | | | | race, such a yacht may be crewed by as many |
| size they can be overwhelmed by heavy seas. | | | | as 15 people. At the other extreme there are |
| Most are single-mast 'Bermudan sloop' rigged | | | | 'single handed' races, where one person alone |
| vessels, with a single foresail (of the 'jib' | | | | must control the yacht. Yacht races may be |
| or 'genoa') type and a single mainsail. Some | | | | over a simple course of only a few miles, or |
| are gaff rigged. The smallest of this | | | | epic trans-global contests such as the Global |
| type--generally called pocket yachts or | | | | Challenge and Clipper Round the World Race. |
| pocket cruisers can be trailed on special | | | | Ocean racing yachts have very good |
| trailers behind vehicles to transport them by | | | | sea-handling qualities, as they must be able |
| road. | | | | to maintain good speeds in all but the |
| | | | heaviest conditions. |
| Cruiser yachts | | | | |