Ships or boats? Question for sailors.

[therevjay]

A recent post got me wondering about the difference. I know a submarine is always a boat no matter how big it is. But outside of that, at what size does a boat become a ship?

My BIL a retired Chief no less, gave me a dazed look and said "Damn, I never thought about it."

 

[Bello]

Ships in the navy only shipmate! Boats for subs are movie terms.

USN 97-01 EM3(SW)

 

[jlrhiner]

After 40', their called small ships. After about 80' their ships. Some also say it's crew size. Others have said if they have an Officer in command. I'm going to follow this one and see where it goes.

 

[harleyvato]

I've never been in the navy,but it was once explained to me as"if it can fit onboard a ship, it's a boat!" I don't know how true this is but it made sense to me.

 

[rags]

Aircraft Carrier to anyone that has never sailed on one = A Ship

Aircraft Carrier to someone with 2 1/2" Tours on one = "The Boat!"

USS America - April 1981 Indian Ocean

 

[Harrison]

I've never been in the navy,but it was once explained to me as"if it can fit onboard a ship, it's a boat!" I don't know how true this is but it made sense to me.

I work around a bunch of retired swabies and your question came up. Except for submarines, the concensus was the same as the above.

 

[msinc]

As I understand it, as far as the U.S. Navy is concerned anything over 300 feet in length is a ship. Anything under 300 feet is a boat. If you go by U.S. Coast Guard rules 65 feet is the magic number. Confusing thing about the Navy is that the Gato/Balao class fleet submarines of WWII and later were called "boats" but were in fact 311 feet in length.

 

[GKC]

In the days of wooden ships and iron men, a ship had three masts, and boats...didn't. Nowadays, you could generally say that a ship is an ocean-going craft, and a boat isn't. There are exceptions...some ocean-going vessels ply the Great Lakes, for example, and of course submarines operate almost entirely in the seas/oceans, but are called boats (which may or may not be an official designation.)

It's sort of like all revolvers are pistols, but all pistols are not revolvers.

 

[Oldiron]

Can't find my "Blue Jacket" manual but IIRC there is a footage figure where they become ships. Simular to size difference between lines, ropes and howsers. I'll scratch around some more to see if I can find it, but it's been 44 years this month since I was issued it.
Larry

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Don't know about the Navy but from my view-it's a boat when you can afford it and operated it, a yacht when you can't afford it and a ship when you can't afford it AND it has a wine steward

 

[semperfi71]

According to the "Bluejackets Manual 1940" page 175:

"General"

"A SHIP may be defined as a large seagoing vessel. In other words, it is a structure that will float and is capable of making ocean voyages. Is purpose is to furnish a means for over-water transportation. It may be considered as an enlarged boat."

In today's Navy th enomeclature may be different, we will have to wait for a modern "Anchor-Clanker" to answer that.

In the mean time.......what are the "chains"?

 

[jlrhiner]

In the mean time.......what are the "chains"?

In what context? As a measurement, it's 66'.

 

[RightArm]

You can't fish off a ship. That's what boats are for. I wouldn't call a submarine a boat. U-boat doesn't count. Although when they surface, maybe you can fish off 'em.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I had always been told anything under 125' was a boat and anything over that a ship.

 

[sipowicz]

If you go away with a woman on a ship. chances are you will get lucky. If it's a yacht, you're chances are still good. If it's a boat, not so much.

 

[DeathGrip]

If its yours and you pay for it it's a boat. Pleasure.

If its ours and we pay for it it's a ship. Navy.

The coast guard has boats. The tankers are ships. The cargo ships are too.

The army has boats. The Coastguard has ships.

I hope we're all confused now?

Sherriff = Boats

DEA

Whale Watchers

Whale hunters

Shrimp

Tuna

 

[Mickey D]

I've never been in the navy,but it was once explained to me as"if it can fit onboard a ship, it's a boat!" I don't know how true this is but it made sense to me.

The USS Cole as a boat.

 

[pineappleshooter]

Ships in the navy only shipmate! Boats for subs are movie terms.

USN 97-01 EM3(SW)

Submarines are always boats - always have been - always will be - even if a 688 class is 360' 6" long with a diameter of 33' and a displacement of 6900 tons.

USN 86-07, YNC(SS) (Ret.)

 

[pineappleshooter]

I've never been in the navy,but it was once explained to me as"if it can fit onboard a ship, it's a boat!" I don't know how true this is but it made sense to me.

+1 - this is how it was explained to my by a crusty old Master Chief Boatswain's Mate.

YNC(SS), USN, (Ret.)

 

[jdh]

Ships in the navy only shipmate! Boats for subs are movie terms.

USN 97-01 EM3(SW)

Calm down there Swabbie.
For a start,
Three letters: PBR
Two Letters: PT

The Navy has had large fleets of BOATS.