According to the definition of the French Yacht Club, "a yacht is considered to be any deck or semi-deck boat, sailing or steam-powered, exclusively and permanently used for pleasure boating and suitable for maritime navigation". But it is also necessary to distinguish between the different types of yachts that exist: sailing yachts, motor yachts and river yachts.
Sailing yachts: highly prized models
Sailboats are distinguished not only by their sails, but also by their rigging. The latter can be single-masted or two-masted. The rigging includes a large trapezoidal sail called the Brigantine, excluding the flying sails called arrows. Sometimes the Brigantine reaches a considerable size, which makes handling very complicated. Yachts, especially sailing yachts, are different depending on whether they are built for competitions or cruising. For more information about yachts' models, check
prestige-yachts.com.
Choosing a superyacht or motor yacht
A superyacht is a ship over 30 metres in length. These boats entail high purchase and maintenance costs and can have a wide range of equipment, from spas to cinemas. In the definition of a superyacht, there is usually no distinction between sailing boats and motors. They are equipped with a variety of audio-visual entertainment and water sports equipment. In the case of a luxury yacht, the length is about 24 metres, which is very suitable for families and large groups. They are usually manned by permanent or seasonal crews of 2 to 4 members.
River Yacht: for a peaceful trip in complete tranquillity
It is important to choose your yacht according to its intended use. Indeed, depending on whether you wish to sail at sea or along a river, you will be led to opt for a specific model. There are small yachts that have only one sail and which look more like a catboat. They are easy to manoeuvre and very fast in calm waters, but they become dangerous when the wind blows. In the Seine in the 19th century, this type of ship was nicknamed the ocean. It is generally without a bridge, making it unsuitable for maritime navigation. Steam river yachts have very light masts and are more decorative.