# Congratulations, you just won a yacht! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 29, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748 "2011-07-29T16:54:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/81 "2011-07-31T22:23:14Z")
44 is considered a yacht? I’d name it New Money, because that’s what everyone would be thinking. I’d gift it to someone who was a sea lover, because I don’t think you’d get much money for that “yacht”. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/82 "2011-08-01T02:11:00Z")
_My Dinghy_ What? Actually my stepdad named his boat _Supermom_ after my mother, so she wouldn’t get mad when he bought it without telling her… ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/83 "2011-08-01T04:28:21Z")
> [@Bosstrain](#): > > Is somebody gonna’ stop **Onomatopoeia** , he actually has a freaking boat 😛 , I’d think this thread would be for those that don’t :dubious: . No offense man, it’s cool you have a freaking boat, just hurts when you rub my face with it (sobbing…I wanna boat…Waaaaah!) Didn’t mean to shove it in your face that I have a boat, and you don’t. 😉 Seriously, boating is one of my hobbies, and it is not often that I can combine my two favorite pastimes, boating and the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/84 "2011-08-01T04:42:09Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > 44 is considered a yacht? Depends on the boat. Generally, any recreational watercraft of at least 40 feet (actually 12 meters) is considered a yacht. But what truly makes a yacht are its appointments, not necessarily its size. > [@YaraMateo](#): > > I’d name it New Money, because that’s what everyone would be thinking. I’d gift it to someone who was a sea lover, because I don’t think you’d get much money for that “yacht”. Not true at all. For example, a 45 foot SeaRay Sundancer has a base price of $715,000 and goes up from there as you add options. I don’t know about you, but $715,000 is ‘much money’ to me. Also, I doubt many would turn up their noses at such a boat. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/85 "2011-08-01T05:27:32Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Depends on the boat. Generally, any recreational watercraft of at least 40 feet (actually 12 meters) is considered a yacht. But what truly makes a yacht are its appointments, not necessarily its size. Not true at all. For example, a 45 foot SeaRay Sundancer has a base price of $715,000 and goes up from there as you add options. I don’t know about you, but $715,000 is ‘much money’ to me. Also, I doubt many would turn up their noses at such a boat. 44 still seems unimpressive to me. I can’t imagine many million/billionaires really doing a double take over 715,000 dollars. I mean, let’s not kid ourselves. The people who owe (and collect!) yachts are usually old money. Those who aren’t, still own yachts that are more in the 100 foot range (and above). So, in this rich pissing contest, I don’t really think boats under 50 are impressing anyone. Anyone who they’re impressing doesn’t have a horse in the race. I don’t either (I’m NOT rich) , but I’ve known rich people. So, I can tell the real from the fake. So, to speak. (Yes, a lot of people do like to pretend their rich for some weird reason.) Edit to add: I guess I would sell New Money, though. For lots of New Purses. hehe ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/86 "2011-08-01T06:49:39Z")
It’s not all about size (har har). Some of the most prestigious sailing yachts are custom built racers that are only 40-50 foot long. They’re not really built for comfort though, just sailing fast. I tend to draw a distinction between sailing vessels and motor vessels. Generally, people who own large sailing vessels, rich or not, love sailing, and people who own large motor vessels are rich. It’s not always true, but just a general observation. Having a yacht is one of those things that sounds like a luxury for the rich, but it ain’t necessarily so. Sure, lots of people who own yachts are rich, but an equal number just love sailing. Growing up, my dad - not real rich - had two sailing yachts, a 37 footer and a 42 footer, but I learned to sail on dinghys (mirrors, moths, etc) and only when I was around 17 was I allowed to help crew on the real yachts. The first yacht I owned myself was actually given to me for free by a guy at my yacht club who didn’t want it anymore - a custom built 27-foot racer. I don’t have it anymore because I also passed it on to a younger guy who showed interest in it. Now, the _real_ luxury vessels are the kind of yachts that people who don’t know their starboard from their port own - the type my brother works aboard. Take a look: [http://mediterranean-yacht-charters.com/](http://mediterranean-yacht-charters.com/) Typically these yachts are owned by ‘old money’ and chartered by ‘new money’. Not surprising if you think about it - dropping up to 100,000$ per week for a charter. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/87 "2011-08-01T06:58:00Z")
_“Now Watch This Drive”_ ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/88 "2011-08-01T13:10:32Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > 44 still seems unimpressive to me. I can’t imagine many million/billionaires really doing a double take over 715,000 dollars. I mean, let’s not kid ourselves. The people who owe (and collect!) yachts are usually old money. Those who aren’t, still own yachts that are more in the 100 foot range (and above). So, in this rich pissing contest, I don’t really think boats under 50 are impressing anyone. Anyone who they’re impressing doesn’t have a horse in the race. I don’t either (I’m NOT rich) , but I’ve known rich people. So, I can tell the real from the fake. So, to speak. (Yes, a lot of people do like to pretend their rich for some weird reason.) > > Edit to add: I guess I would sell New Money, though. For lots of New Purses. hehe This is your perception so I respect it but, I have to say, 45 to 50 footers at my marina are quite impressive. We have a few 80 to 90 footers, and they are massive, no doubt, but the owners are not tooling around in those boats, and they rarely, if ever, leave the dock. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/89 "2011-08-01T16:35:18Z")
I’ve changed my mind. The way things are going I think I’d call it “Temporary Liquidity” in respect to both my ownership of it, and the length of financial comfort it would provide . . . ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/90 "2011-08-01T23:27:44Z")
_Fireflash_ As a kid my Grandad and I built a scale model balsa boat (with that name) over quite a number of weekends; I have extremely fond memories of that time… and of him. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/91 "2011-08-02T00:55:44Z")
was thinking “Neener Neener Neener” would be nice:D ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/92 "2011-08-02T14:11:01Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > _Fireflash_ > > As a kid my Grandad and I built a scale model balsa boat (with that name) over quite a number of weekends; I have extremely fond memories of that time… and of him. Can the insurance company raise your rates just because of the choice of name? LOL! ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/93 "2011-08-02T14:16:05Z")
**YourName** ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/94 "2011-08-02T14:19:17Z")
A lot of you are going to feel pretty stupid when you have to radio in an SOS call 😃 My dinghy growing up was called _Sorcerer_, so possibly something along those lines. It took two days of suggestions to come up with names for my hamsters, though, so it might be best just to call it _Awaiting Decision_ or _Add Boat Name Here_. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/95 "2011-08-02T15:00:05Z")
_Cheaper than an Ex Wife_ ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-you-just-won-a-yacht/590748/96 "2011-08-02T16:32:06Z")
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