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In modern use, the term yacht applies to two rather different classes of Sea Vessel , sailing yachts and power yachts. Traditionally, yachts were differentiated from working ships mainly by purpose—yachts were swift and comfortable conveyances of the wealthy and powerful. It was not until the ascendancy of the Steamboat and other types of Powerboat that sailing vessels came to be seen as luxury items. Modern use of the term applies to nearly all sailing vessels, other than sailing Dinghies , that are used for Yacht Racing or for pleasure cruising. Motor yachts, on the other hand, retain more of the original sense of power and luxury. Much larger and generally far more expensive than the average sailing yacht, the motor yacht contains sufficient living space for at least several days at sea. Lengths generally start at 36–40 feet (11–12 m) and go up to well over a hundred feet (30 m). Mega yachts, Luxury Yacht s such as the ones owned by Larry Ellison , Paul Allen and other billionaires, can reach over 525 feet (160 m) in length. HISTORY A yacht, from Dutch ''Jacht'' meaning ''hunt'', pronounced (ya't), 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 . After its selection by Charles II Of England as the vessel of choice for his return to Britain from the Netherlands for his restoration, it came to be used to convey important persons (see under ''History'' below). Later, the word came to designate a wider range of vessels, almost always in private use (i.e., not used for commercial carriage of cargo or passengers), propelled by Sail , power, or both, and used for Pleasure Cruising or Racing . Often, powered yachts are referred to as ''motor yachts'' to differentiate them from yachts with sail propulsion. SAILING YACHTS Sailing yachts can range in overall length (Length Over All—LOA, in yachting parlance) from about 20 feet (6 m) to well over 100 feet (30 m), where the distinction between a yacht and a ship becomes blurred. However, most privately owned yachts fall in the range of about 25–45 feet (7–14 m); the cost of building and keeping a yacht rises quickly as length increases. In the U.S., sailors tend to refer to smaller yachts as Sailboats , while referring to the general sport of sailing as yachting. Within the limited context of sailboat racing, a yacht is any sailing vessel taking part in a race, regardless of size. Monohull yachts are typically fitted with a fixed keel or a centerboard (adjustable keel) below the waterline to counterbalance the overturning force of wind on the vessel's Sail s. Multihull yachts (a Catamaran is an example of this type of vessel) use two or more Hull s widely separated from each other to provide a stable base that resists overturning. Until the 1950s almost all yachts were made of wood, or in a larger yacht, steel, but nowadays there is a much wider range of materials. Most common is Fibreglass , but steel, aluminium and, much less often because of insurance difficulties, Ferrocement are used as well. Wood is still used, in traditional board-based methods as well as in modern technologies based on Plywood , Veneer s and Epoxy glues, but wood is mostly used by a hobbyist or wooden boat purist when building an individual boat. At the other extreme, high-performance yachts such as those used in the Volvo Ocean Race and the America's Cup are often constructed from Carbon Fibre . Modern yachts have efficient Sail-plan s, most notably the Bermuda Rig , that allow them to sail into the wind. This capability is the result of a sail-plan and hull design, typically a Sloop rig, that utilizes Bernoulli's Principle to generate Lift . CLASSIFICATION OF SAILING YACHTS Sailing yachts fall into four basic categories: ''day sailer'', ''weekender'', ''cruiser'', and ''racer''. Day sailing yachts Day sailing yachts are usually small sub-20-foot (6 m) vessels. Sometimes called Dinghies , they often have a retractable keel, centerboard, or Daggerboard . Day sailing yachts do not have a cabin, as they are designed for hourly or daily use and not for overnight journeys. Weekender yachts Weekender yachts are small, sub-30-foot (9.5 m) vessels. They often have twin keels or lifting keels. This allows them to operate in shallow waters, and if needed "dry out"—become beached as the tide falls. The hull shape (or twin-keel layout) allows the boat to sit upright when there is no water. Such boats are designed to undertake short journeys, rarely lasting more than 2 or 3 days (hence their name). Of course, in coastal areas long trips may be undertaken in a series of short hops. Weekenders usually have only a simple cabin, often consisting of a single "saloon" with bedspace for two to three people. Clever use of ergonomics allows space in the saloon for a galley (kitchen), seating, and navigation equipment as well. There is limited space for stores of water and food. Weekenders tend to be slower vessels due to their small sail area, and due to their small size they can be overwhelmed by heavy seas. Most are single-masted "Bermuda sloops" (not to be confused with the type of traditional Bermudian ship known as a Bermuda Sloop ), with a single Foresail of the Jib or Genoa type and a single Mainsail (one variation of the aforementioned Bermuda rig). Some are Gaff Rig ged. The smallest of this type, generally called ''pocket yachts'' or '' Pocket Cruiser s'', can be transported on special trailers. Cruising yachts Cruisers are by the far the most common yacht in private use, making up most of the 25- to 45-foot (7 m to 14 m) range. These vessels can be quite complex in design, as designers try to find a balance between docile handling qualities, interior space, good light-wind performance and on-board comfort. The huge range of such craft, from dozens of builders worldwide, makes it hard to give a single illustrative description. However, most favour a teardrop-planform hull, with a wide, flat bottom and deep single-fin keel to give good stability. Most are single-masted Bermuda rigged sloops, with a single fore-sail of the Jib or Genoa type and a single Mainsail . Spinnaker sails, with huge areas, are often supplied for light-wind use. These types are often chosen as family vessels, especially those in the 30- to 40-foot (8 to 12 m) range. Such a vessel will usually have many rooms below deck. Typically there will be three double-berth cabins; a single large saloon with galley, seating and navigation equipment; and a " Head " consisting of a toilet and shower-room. The interior is often finished in wood panelling, with plenty of storage space. Cruisers are quite capable of taking on long-range passages of many thousands of miles, and so have large freshwater tanks. Such boats have a cruising speed of around 5 knots. This basic design is typical of the standard types produced by the major yacht-builders. Most large luxury yachts, 50 feet (15 m) and up, are also cruisers, but their design varies greatly as they are usually "one off" designs tailored to the specific needs of the buyer. Racing yachts See Also: Yacht racing ]] Racing yachts try to reduce the wetted surface area, which creates drag, by keeping the hull light whilst having a deep and heavy bulb keel, allowing them to support a tall mast with a great sail area. Modern designs tend to have a very wide beam and a flat bottom, to provide buoyancy preventing an excessive Heel angle. Speeds of up to 35 knots can be attained in good conditions. Dedicated racing yachts sacrifice crew comfort for speed, having basic accommodation to reduce weight. Depending on the type of race, such a yacht may be crewed by as many as 15 people. At the other extreme there are "single handed" races, where one person alone must control the yacht. Yacht races may be over a simple course of only a few miles, as in the harbour racing of the International One Design ; long-distance, open-ocean races, like the Bermuda Race ; or epic trans-global contests such as the Global Challenge and Clipper Round The World Race . Ocean racing yachts have very good sea-handling qualities, as they must be able to maintain good speeds in all but the heaviest conditions. PROPULSION The motive force being the wind, sailing is more economical and environmentally friendly than any other means of propulsion. Motor yachts depend upon mechanical means for propulsion, typically an Internal Combustion Engine that burns Fossil Fuel s. These are more expensive to operate than sailing vessels due to fuel costs and the large engines typically used. A more economical hybrid type of vessel is a Motor Sailing Yacht that can use either sail or motor propulsion (or both) as conditions dictate. Many "pure" sailing yachts are also equipped with a low-power internal-combustion engine for use in conditions of calm and when entering or leaving difficult anchorages. Vessels less than 25 feet (7 m) in length generally carry a petrol outboard-motor of between 5 and 40 horsepower (3.5 and 30 kW). Larger vessels have in-board diesel engines of between 20 and 100 horsepower (15 and 75 kW) depending on size. In the common 25- to 45-foot (7 to 14 m) class, engines of 20 to 40 horsepower are the most common. MODERN SAILING YACHTS In recent years, small- to medium-sized private yachts have evolved from fairly simple vessels with basic accommodation into sophisticated and luxurious boats. This is largely due to reduced hull-building costs brought about by the introduction of Fibreglass hulls, and increased automation and "production line" techniques for yacht building, especially in Europe . In recent years the amount of electric equipment used on yachts has increased greatly. Even 20 years ago, it was not common for a 25-foot (7 m) yacht to have Electric Lighting . Now all but the smallest, most basic yachts have electric lighting, Radio , and Navigation aids such as GPS ( Global Positioning System ). Yachts around 33 feet (10 m) bring in comforts such as hot water, pressurised water systems, refrigerators, etc. Aids such as Radar , Echo-sounding and Autopilot are common. This means that the auxiliary engine now also performs the vital function of powering an Alternator to provide electrical power and to recharge the yacht's on-board Batteries . For yachts engaged on long-range cruising, wind- and solar-powered generators can perform the same function. On the biggest, 130-foot-plus (40 m) luxury yachts, every modern convenience, from Air Conditioning to television, is found. Sailing yachts of this size are often highly automated, with computer-controlled electric winches controlling the sails. Such complexity requires dedicated Power-generation systems. SEE ALSO
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