How big of a boat to be considered a Yacht?

Question

I always wondered this...

Answer 1

Yacht - from Dutch Jacht meaning hunting, compare German Jagd) was originally defined as a light, fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries.

Today a sailboat or powerboat can be called a yacht, length is subject to the the viewers stance, normally over 35'.  Yachts differentiated from working ships mainly by their leisure purpose and the way they are outfitted inside.

Boat Safe ! !

Answer 2

I'd probably say 40' as a general rule of thumb. 40' is the minimum for many yacht clubs.

Answer 3

The LEGAL STANDARD DEFINITION for a "Yacht" is any vessle 75 FEET or over... I don't know where some of these other answers come from... but they are wrong.  

You can put a dinghy on a boat a boat on a yacht and a yacht on a ship.  A 30 to 40 foot BOAT is just that... a BOAT... it is NOT a Yacht.

Answer 4

Pretty much any sailboat is technically a yacht, be it 8 feet long or 110. Powerboats can start claiming yacht status at 36 feet. Calling anything other than a sailboat a yacht is an exhibition of ignorance anyway though. The word yacht comes from the old norwegian/low german jagtschip, which translates as 'to chase ship.' This was shortened to jacht, clearly to describe tenders and dinghies. Yachts are small sailboats. Today's 'megayachts' are just the ultimate example of why people of taste denigrate new money.