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