When does a boat become a ship?

[Rob_Webb]

Seem to recall an amusing discussion about this a while back when my thinking was:

When you need permission from QHM to enter P'mouth
2. When B*stard Wightlink ferries give way to you
3. When you need a mortgage to refuel her
4. When you need a tug to berth in a hoolie
5. When you need a pilot at the Nab
6. When you have a duplex radio
7. When you don't need to worry about a radar reflector
8. When you give 3 blasts on the horn as you hit astern - as opposed to swearing 3 times when you hit your stern
9. When you have a pic of your bowthruster on your hull
10. When running aground means your insurance co. gets embarrased

But apparently there is a 'right' answer to this old sailor's saying - anyone know it?

BTW, thanks for the help yesterday with the tropic of cancer question - I won my drink and it tasted sweet!

 

[landaftaf]

boat owners are happy twice - the day thay buy a boat and the day they sell it
ship owners are only happy when they are making a profit

any improvements on that ?

 

[cod]

A vessel of 20m and a sailing vessel shall not impede the safe passage of a vessel only capable of navigating etc etc??

MINESAPINT.

 

[dralex]

It has to be when you have davits and a full size domestic toilet, as well as being able to walk around your bed. I think a plasma screen TV comes into the equation somewhere, as well as an anti social generator to make noise in port.

 

[cod]

A ship is defined by having a bowsprit, 3 masts, each with topmast and topgallant mast, and square rigged on all 3 masts.

MINESAPINT.

 

[mushypea]

I thought it was supposed to be when it had more than one deck? Then I start wondering about what counts as a deck...

 

[Twister_Ken]

You can carry a boat on a ship, but you can't carry a ship on a boat.

 

[Cotillion]

When you go to Holland. At Veere I was asked by a middle aged lady, "If you are rafting up to my mothers ship, will please take some lines ashore." The boat in question was a very pretty wooden cabin cruiser similar to what you would see on our inland waterways, owned by a lady who was well into her eighties.She had obviously spent a fortune in its upkeep over many years with gleaming brightwork and highly polished sides. If I was cyynical I would say that the daughter was just looking after her inheritance

Kim

 

[FlyingDutchman]

In Dutch, the words boot and schip are synonyms although a rowing boat or a dinghy would be called a boot. If you would say to the owner of a larger mobo or yacht: that's a nice boot, he would be offended or come to the conclusion that you know nothing about boats! (or probably just smile, nice guys the Dutch!)

Best regards from the Netherlands!

 

[stevebirch2002]

Wow, my house is a ship........

 

[awyatybw]

Yes, here in Switzerland, my daughter's Optimist gets called a Schiff.

 

[Lakesailor]

Usually at about 50 metres in the fog.

 

[tonyran]

Easy - When it's put in a bottle

 

[Sailfree]

As an aside the Inland Revenue are on a simplified English campaign and ALL yachts, boats etc are now termed ships. Now it so happens that there are some regulations regarding leasing that pertains only to Ships so a number of Charter Yachts are now being deemed to be ships and the capital allowances limits on leasing ships are being applied.

 

[amatiel]

If your talking about your hobbies to the tax office... you own a boat
If your describing them to the group of single girls in the pub.... then its a ship !

 

[claymore]

It was once described thus to me
A ship is bigger than you
A boat is smaller

 

[supra30]

I can't remember where I heard this, but it was quite recently...

Apparently, a boat has it's 'main deck' level below the waterline, whereas a ship has it above the waterline.

Wish I could remember where that came from. Any marine historians / architects able to clarify?

Regards,

Mike

 

[alant]

Three or more masts, "fully rigged", with yards, not fore & aft sails.

 

[landaftaf]

flying boat ?
banana boat ?

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[alant]

From a book published in 1898, "A Ship, according to Act of Parliament, is 'any fabric that is not propelled by oars', but any sailor will tell you 'a full-rigged ship, as properly defined, is a three-masted vessel, square rigged on each mast'.
Also "curiously, a ship is the only vessel to which the addition of a mast or two makes no difference"