Yachting

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Aerial view of a yacht club and marina, Yacht Harbour Residence "Hohe Dune", in Rostock, Germany Aerial view Yacht Harbour Residence Rostock Yachthafenresidenz Hohe Dune 1.jpg
Aerial view of a yacht club and marina, Yacht Harbour Residence "Hohe Düne", in Rostock, Germany

Yachting is recreational boating activities using medium/large-sized boats or small ships collectively called yachts. Yachting is distinguished from other forms of boating mainly by the priority focus on comfort and luxury, the dependence on marinas for docking, and being typically only for exclusive social leisures such as cruising, fishing trip or racing.

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The term "yacht" derives from the Dutch word jacht , meaning "hunt". When yachting with sailboats, the activity is simply called sailing; and with motorboats, it is called powerboating. A boat club that only services yachting participants is known as a yacht club.

Racing

A yacht race on lake Paijanne in Jyvaskyla, Finland Karkinen bridge during Paijannepurjehdus 2007.jpg
A yacht race on lake Päijänne in Jyväskylä, Finland
Cabo San Lucas Race Start 2013 Cabo San Lucas Race B Start 2013 photo D Ramey Logan.jpg
Cabo San Lucas Race Start 2013

History

The history of sailing dates back to prehistoric times but the racing of sailing boats is believed to have started in the Netherlands some time in the 17th century. Soon, in England, custom-built racing "yachts" began to emerge. In 1851, the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes challenged the American yacht America. The race took place in the Solent. The America won the race and took the trophy, the America's Cup, back to the US where, held by the New York Yacht Club, it remained until 1983. The cup was then lost to the Royal Perth Yacht Club of Australia, which entered the Australia II into the contest. Meanwhile, yacht racing continued to evolve, with the development of recognised classes of racing yachts, from small dinghies up to huge maxi yachts.

Inshore

Although there are many different types of racing vessels, they can generally be separated into the larger yachts, which are larger and contain facilities for extended voyages, and smaller harbour racing craft such as dinghies and skiffs. Smaller boats are not generally referred to as yachts, although all recreational boats (as opposed to commercial or military vessels) are yachts. These days, yacht racing is a common participant sport around the developed world, particularly where favorable wind conditions and access to reasonably sized bodies of water are available. Most yachting is conducted in salt water, but smaller craft can be raced on lakes and even large rivers.

Ocean

Larger yachts are also raced on harbours, but the most prestigious yacht races are point-to-point long-distance races on the open ocean. Bad weather makes even finishing such races a considerable test of equipment and willpower, and from time to time boats and sailors are lost at sea. The longest such events are "round-the-world" races which can take months to complete, but better-known are events such as the Fastnet race in the United Kingdom and the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race along the east coast of Australia. Large races are usually organized with a first-past-the-post trophy (called "line honours") and under a handicap system that adjusts finishing times for the relative speeds of the boats' design, theoretically offering each entrant an equal chance.

Loe Real 60-foot Water World Tri 2013 Loe Real 60 foot Water World Tri 2013 Photo D Ramey Logan.jpg
Loe Real 60-foot Water World Tri 2013

While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held worldwide: speed motor boat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; and navigational contests (generally a test of celestial and landmark-based navigation skills where GPS and other electronic navigation equipment is disallowed) are among the events which are organized around the world. Specialized yachts, such as hydrofoils, hovercraft, or personal watercraft also engage in competitions involving test of equipment and skill (usually, skill in maneuvering safely). All such events are part of the larger world of yachting, if they are done for recreational or sporting purposes.

Cruising

A yacht in Lorient, Bretagne, France Yacht-Samar.jpg
A yacht in Lorient, Bretagne, France

Cruising involves traveling on a boat, whether across a bay, on the Great Lakes (in the US) or from island to island in the South Pacific. Safe cruising across long distances requires a degree of self-sufficiency and a wide range of skills beyond handling the boat. Knowledge of topics such as navigation, meteorology, mechanical and electrical systems, radio, first aid, sea survival, nutrition and more are needed and can be life saving when cruising to distant shores. In the US, the United States Power Squadrons offer courses and certifications in these skills. In the UK, a system of certification is run by the Royal Yachting Association. Similar systems are offered by organizations in other countries and typically include a range of courses, both theoretical and practical. [1]

Fishing

Billfishing aboard a small yacht MegabyteSST.jpg
Billfishing aboard a small yacht

Offshore fishing in green and blue waters generally require sturdier, more seaworthy vessels that can handle stronger waves and more unpredictable weather conditions, and these vessels are typically larger, heavier and need to be moored in a marina. Most offshore recreational fishermen charter boats rather than own them, and those demanding more luxury go yacht charter. Fishing while yachting is often a pastime of the affluent upper and upper middle classes, and there is a demand for chartered yacht with experienced crew and equipped and catered for prestige and enjoyment.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cruising (maritime)</span> Traveling by boat for pleasure

Cruising by boat is an activity that involves living for extended time on a vessel while traveling from place to place for pleasure. Cruising generally refers to trips of a few days or more, and can extend to round-the-world voyages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yacht</span> Recreational boat or ship

A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a yacht, as opposed to a boat, such a pleasure vessel is likely to be at least 33 feet (10 m) in length and may have been judged to have good aesthetic qualities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yacht racing</span> Sport involving sailing yachts and larger sailboats

Yacht racing is a sailing sport involving sailing yachts and larger sailboats, as distinguished from dinghy racing, which involves open boats. It is composed of multiple yachts, in direct competition, racing around a course marked by buoys or other fixed navigational devices or racing longer distances across open water from point-to-point. It can involve a series of races with buoy racing or multiple legs when point-to-point racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinghy sailing</span> Sailing of small boats, usually for sport

Dinghy sailing is the activity of sailing small boats by using five essential controls:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinghy racing</span> Racing Dinghy boats as a sport.

Dinghy racing is a competitive sport using dinghies, which are small boats which may be rowboats, have an outboard motor, or be sailing dinghies. Dinghy racing has affected aspects of the modern sailing dinghy, including hull design, sail materials and sailplan, and techniques such as planing and trapezing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yacht club</span> Sports club specifically related to yachting

A yacht club is a boat club specifically related to yachting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boating</span> Leisure activity involving boats

Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels, focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or waterskiing. It is a popular activity, and there are millions of boaters worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turtling (sailing)</span> Turning a boat upside down

In dinghy sailing, a boat is said to be turtling or to turn turtle when the boat is fully inverted with the mast pointing down to the lake bottom, riverbed, or seabed. The name stems from the appearance of the upside-down boat, similar to the carapace of a sea turtle. The term can be applied to any vessel; turning turtle is less frequent but more dangerous on ships than on smaller boats. It is rarer but more hazardous for multihulls than for monohulls, because of multihulls are harder to flip in both directions. Measures can be taken to prevent a capsize from becoming a turtle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailing yacht</span> Private sailing vessel with overnight accommodations

A sailing yacht, is a leisure craft that uses sails as its primary means of propulsion. A yacht may be a sail or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, so the term applies here to sailing vessels that have a cabin with amenities that accommodate overnight use. To be termed a "yacht", as opposed to a "boat", such a vessel is likely to be at least 33 feet (10 m) in length and have been judged to have good aesthetic qualities. Sailboats that do not accommodate overnight use or are smaller than 30 feet (9.1 m) are not universally called yachts. Sailing yachts in excess of 130 feet (40 m) are generally considered to be superyachts.

Navico is a marine electronics company providing navigation, marine instruments and fish finding equipment to both the recreational and commercial marine sectors.

Pwllheli Sailing Club is a yacht club in Pwllheli, Wales, founded in 1958. Over the years its clubhouse has moved several times, and it has also become an organiser of national and international yachting and dinghy sailing events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yachtmaster</span>

A Yachtmaster qualification is a certificate of competence of the ability to handle either a sailing boat or motor boat in certain prescribed conditions. Three different titles are specified; Yachtmaster Coastal, Yachtmaster Offshore, and Yachtmaster Ocean which specify the level of competence required and the area of operation certified.

Australian Sailing magazine (ASL) was published by Yaffa Publishing Group, an independent publisher headquartered in Surry Hills (NSW). Founded in 1976, it was Australia's only dedicated yacht racing magazine.

The Marion to Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race is a biennial yacht race held in odd-numbered years, from Marion, Massachusetts to the island of Bermuda, a distance of 645 nautical miles (1,195 km). The most recent race was held starting June 9, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailing (sport)</span> Amateur or professional competitive sport

The sport of sailing involves a variety of competitive sailing formats that are sanctioned through various sailing federations and yacht clubs. Racing disciplines include matches within a fleet of sailing craft, between a pair thereof or among teams. Additionally, there are specialized competitions that include setting speed records. Racing formats include both closed courses and point-to-point contests; they may be in sheltered waters, coast-wise or on the open ocean. Most competitions are held within defined classes or ratings that either entail one type of sailing craft to ensure a contest primarily of skill or rating the sailing craft to create classifications or handicaps.

The RS Venture launched by RS Sailing in 2011 is a large, modern GRP dinghy. The design concept was to deliver a large multi-role dinghy suitable for cruising, training or even club racing, in response to growing demand from training centres, private customers and international RS dealers. The RS Venture can take a maximum capacity of 8 crew, however can also be sailed by just 2 making it popular with RYA training schools as well as racing and cruising families. The RS Venture can be purchased from any RS dealer around the world and in 2013 has won Sailing World's Boat of the Year accolade.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to sailing:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosham Sailing Club</span> Building in Bosham, Chichester, West Sussex, UK

Bosham Sailing Club is the oldest sailing club in Chichester Harbour and was founded in 1907 It is located in the historic village of Bosham in West Sussex. Its clubhouse is the Old Mill on Bosham Quay.

Handicap forms for sailing vessels in sailing races have varied throughout history, and they also vary by country, and by sailing organisation. Sailing handicap standards exist internationally, nationally, and within individual sailing clubs.

Sailing is a popular sport and recreational activity in Australia with its varied coastline and often warm climate.

References

  1. Caswell, Chris (2001). Chartering a Boat: Sail and Power . Sheridan House, Inc. ISBN   978-1-57409-111-3.