You can fit a boat on a ship but you cant put a ship on a boat ??? What are the sizes ?

Question

Is there any size regulations that say if it is a boat or a ship like a boat is up to 6 tonnes and then heavier than that it is a ship

Answer 1

Excellent Question!

And the answer dates back much farther than Columbus.

Technically (historically)... a boat is not a ship until it exceeds of 69 feet and 69 tons. Under 69' and under 69 tons she would be "correctly" referred to as her "type" - ie: tug, cruiser, trawler, shrimp, sloop, etc. etc.

As everyone knows, Columbus had three vessels on his first voyage, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. The flagship (largest) was the Santa Maria. She was always referred to as a "nao", which simply means "ship".  She was only 69 feet, but, she was about 100 tons, which in those days meant that she could carry 100 toneladas, (which were large casks of wine) that weighed about a ton.

The Pinta was a Caravel, a smaller, lighter, and faster vessel than the Santa Maria, and was only 56 feet but she was considered to be a 70 tonner.

Smallest of the fleet was the Niña, another Caravel of 60 tons, and only 50 feet.. According to historic documents, Neither Pinta or Nina were ever (in the days of Columbus) referred to as "ships" only as "Caravels". Only "collectively" were they ever referred to as ships.

The naming and class of vessels dated as far back as the Egyptians and 3000 BC... But, as the man said... nowadays especially, it doesn't seem to be etched in stone.

In addition to "ships" - the most often mistaken and misused terminology in the boating industry is the term "yacht".

Yachts "in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s" were all  recreational vessels with a minimum of 50 feet in length, that are "very luxuriously appointed" - so much so, they are instantly recognized as being owned by someone really wealthy. The word "yacht" became instantly recognized and associated with the word "luxury". If someone had a "yacht" everyone knew they were rich, and that the vessel  was very "luxuriously appointed" and over 50 feet in lenght.

Under 50 feet, the vessel was not considered a yacht, and over 50 feet if the vessel was NOT luxuriously appointed is was not considered a yacht.

Prior to the 1980s - The Coast Guard, Harbor Master, Lock Master, as well as other "boaters" would refer to all vessels correctly - based on its proper type.  Since you very seldom ever saw a "true yacht", you very seldom ever heard a vessel being hailed (called) or referred to on the radio as one.

Nowdays however, most everyone will "mistakenly" refer to almost anything with a cabin (no matter what kind, or size, or how simple and plain) as a "yacht"...



I guess now that "Mega-Yachts" are here - anything smaller qualifies as is a "yacht" - even though it many look more like a 30 foot floating cargo crate.

My boat "SummerWind" is often hailed on the radio and/or referred to as a "yacht" by other boaters - and at 60 feet, she is long enough, but, she is very much middle class and middle class comfortable... she is certainly not a yacht.

http://www.sternwheeler.org/

Happy & Safe Boating!

Answer 2

Abbie, you forgot about a boat on a boat,or a vessel  on a boat  both of  which are more common.. The reason one doesn't put a ship on a boat is because the only thing above the water would be the ship. Then you would need to get a crane barge to load the boat onto the ship.and take it to the bone yard. But first empty the sailors out of the boat..Really that was a good question . Shows you are intelligent and thinking person.   Give us another one.!

Answer 3

I saw a boat with a ship on it- not a pretty site.

Answer 4

While it's not etched in stone, the generally accepted standard is any vessel less than 65' in length overall is properly refferred to as a boat, while anythig 65' or over is considered a ship. A traditional exception to this is the submarine, which has generally been called a boat by her crew in spite of her length.