Do you have a "yacht "or a "sailing boat"?

Skylark

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Is it a peculiarly British thing, this fear of being thought pretentious?

I mean, does it really matter what people think about trivial things when there are far more important things that ought to be being thought about; and talked about?
I sometimes think it’s the opposite. I’m very much of the school “I bought one because I wanted it”, I don’t really care what others’ think. Yet many within these fora make disparaging comments about people who own boats with a fin keel and spade rudder or a mechanical wrist watch, for example. There’s a thread running within the Lounge where one contributor refers to old cars as “vanity purchases”. I wonder if he’s confusing me with someone who gives a sh……….🫣

Why can’t we be happy with what we have without constantly looking over our shoulders?
 

HenrikH

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When looking at other peoples boats, I start thinking “yacht” around 50”. somehow that does not work for AWB
 

thinwater

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In the US "sailboat" is used, unless "old boat" or "yacht" sends a message you prefer.

According to the dictionary, yacht can mean either pleasure boat or serious luxury pleasure boat, depending on the dictionary you choose. As it is with people when the hear you, so sailboat works for me. If they want to know more, I give the particulars, which will mean little to the non-sailor ... like where does the pretentious line start? I think that depends a lot on the audience. Owning a car is pretentious in some circles, anything under 100 feet not in others.
 

Wansworth

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I sometimes think it’s the opposite. I’m very much of the school “I bought one because I wanted it”, I don’t really care what others’ think. Yet many within these fora make disparaging comments about people who own boats with a fin keel and spade rudder or a mechanical wrist watch, for example. There’s a thread running within the Lounge where one contributor refers to old cars as “vanity purchases”. I wonder if he’s confusing me with someone who gives a sh……….🫣

Why can’t we be happy with what we have without constantly looking over our shoulders?
Is planned discontent,make the population discontent and they will buy to attempt to be happy,been a well known situation for years,we are all in one way or another victims of big business
 

Koeketiene

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When looking at other peoples boats, I start thinking “yacht” around 50”. somehow that does not work for AWB
I tend to more consider age/looks rather than size when contemplating whether something's a yacht or a sailboat.

Older / classic lines: yacht
Modern / more 'boxy' lines: sailboat

At home, refer to Koeketiene as 'the boat'.
 

Neil

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In the US "sailboat" is used, unless "old boat" or "yacht" sends a message you prefer.

According to the dictionary, yacht can mean either pleasure boat or serious luxury pleasure boat, depending on the dictionary you choose. As it is with people when the hear you, so sailboat works for me. If they want to know more, I give the particulars, which will mean little to the non-sailor ... like where does the pretentious line start? I think that depends a lot on the audience. Owning a car is pretentious in some circles, anything under 100 feet not in others.
I don't know why but I dislike the term 'sailboat'. For me it's just 'the boat' qualified by 'sailing' for those who don't know me. And the old joke: I would only ever describe my boat as a yacht to someone who I knew would never see it! :D
 

geem

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I saw a British registered Beneteau about 50ft long anchored nearby a few weeks ago. It was called 'Pure Elegance' It wasn't and I could find anybody else that thought it was. I didn't asked the owner😅
 

Bobc

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When talking about my boat I tend to feel yacht sounds uppity/gives a wrong impression of an old sailing boat so I use the term "old sailing boat". Am alone in feeling that the term yacht gives the wrong impression of a small sailing boat to the general public?
Just please don't start calling it a sailboat. That really annoys me.
 
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