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Joined: 05/03/2010
Posts: 18
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I have this nagging issue that has been on my mind like forever. I am not sure where to begin but in simplistic terms; are there too many marketing bluffs in yacht charters? I am not referring to any region in particular so forgive me if I am being general here.
Yacht or Cruiser?
Some think it matters, some don't. I belong to the initial pack that believes there is a distinctive difference between a cruiser and a yacht, although the difference is 99% of the times not easy to distinguish. Some folks differentiate between them by the size, some differentiate between them by the facilities onboard, some by the feel of the experience and for others, a combination of various factors including those I stated.
However, I am very bothered about more and more small charter companies/owners that purchase a cabin cruiser and try to pass itself off as a yacht. When I read an advertisement (of the many others) that offers chartering of a 12m cruiser with a price tag of a yacht, I scoffed. It may not impact me but it did made me wonder about ignorant guests being misled about what a genuine yacht experience is. Going by this, any Tom, Dick or Harry can simply buy a small boat and pass itself off as a yacht.
I am trying not to use the word "cheat" here.
What exactly is a yacht experience? Again, not easy for anybody to define. But, I feel that when the industry condone such hocus pocus marketing and selling, it degrades what luxury yachting offers. It doesn't help when there is no official regulation to say what is a yacht, what is not. Most of the available definitions are by manufacturers, agents and analysts anyway.
What do you think about it? Do you see what I see?
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Joined: 30/01/2010
Posts: 2
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when I first started to run GMDSS in Antibes in 1997, I was under the impression that a yacht had sails and, if not, it was a motor cruiser. Was 'put right' and told that 'yacht' means 'luxury' and has nothing to do with the shape of the craft, or whether it had sails or not ... one man's meat?
Brs
Ian W
www.gmdss4all.net
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Joined: 01/06/2008
Posts: 1064
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By the broad definition, a yacht is any vessel strictly for recreational/non commercial use.
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Derived originally from a German word for 'hunting ship' - jachtschiff, the term entered the Dutch language in the 17th Century as jaght and then English as yacht. It is now generally used for small sailing and power ships used for racing and pleasure.
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Joined: 27/07/2008
Posts: 96
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Ed, do you really think people chartering a 40' yacht for say $12,000 pw. think that they are going to have the same experience they would get on a 160' yacht for $180,000 pw.?
I don't think so. I think they would expect the experience of cruising a 40' yacht without the hassles of ownership & with the help of someone who knows the area to do the driving & engineering . For many people this is a great holiday after all the sun , water & scenery are the same & you get to choose whether you drink Cava or Crystal on either yacht. There is of course a big difference between chartering any size yacht & booking a cabin or berth on any sized boat no matter whether it is called a yacht or a cruise ship.
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