What’s the difference between a ship and a boat?

[bilbo]

Looking to make sure I post in the right section. I’d assume that the Shell Welder is a ship but not sure...

[ropey]

Looking to make sure I post in the right section. I’d assume that the Shell Welder is a ship but not sure...

I believe a ship is sea-worthy while a boat is not, unless it's a submarine which is always a boat.

[Guest]

Size, but there’s no hard and fast limit that’s generally agreed upon. Here’s an article that might shed some light:

https://www.marineinsight.com/types-of-ships/7-differences-between-a-ship-and-a-boat/

[bilbo]

Size, but there’s no hard and fast limit that’s generally agreed upon. Here’s an article that might shed some light:

https://www.marineinsight.com/types-of-ships/7-differences-between-a-ship-and-a-boat/

Thanks Jakko, that helped clear things up seems like the only thing that people agree on is a shop is bigger than a boat and that if it floats it can be a ship or a boat but I f it is a submarine it’s definitely a boat.

[bilbo]

I believe a ship is sea-worthy while a boat is not, unless it's a submarine which is always a boat.

Ropy missed your post, thank you seems you’re right

[stillp]

A few years ago I was an expert witness at an inquest into a fatality at sea. One of the other witnesses was the Chief Investigator from the MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch), and he had studied at a nautical college that was an annex of the technical college where I used to work. I asked him this question, and his reply was that there isn't a distinct answer, so their official policy is to call them all "vessels". Apparently there are many boats that are bigger than many ships. Ships often carry boats, but some boats also carry boats, although boats don't carry ships!
Pete

[colin m]

The plimsoll line. Ships have them, boats don't. well at least that how it was explained to me, by a ship's navigator.

[colin m]

Ships often carry boats, but some boats also carry boats, although boats don't carry ships!

I worked on a ship, that once, had the ability to carry a submarine. It would actually sink itself to do so.

[Guest]

there isn't a distinct answer, so their official policy is to call them all "vessels".

This seems the sensible thing to do to me. Or just to stop pretending there’s a meaningful difference in the real world

Doing a little research, because now I wanted to know, it seems the true difference is entirely etymological. The words boat and ship go back to different Proto-Indo-European words, *bʰeyd- respectively *skey-, that both have meanings along the lines of “divide”.

[Ian M]

I've always worked on the theory that ships have multiple deck where as a boat has two maybe three

[stillp]

Viking longships Ian?
Pete

[Dave Ward]

No real answer, but I've seen a ship definition that says it has at least one continuous deck below the main deck. but even that falls down with tankers! I personally think a ship is an ocean going vessel that can be operated by a crew that don't have to wear special clothes! - Also a ship may carry a boat, but a boat cannot carry a ship.
Dave

[Ian M]

Viking longships Ian?
Pete

Bugger there's always one an exception
But can you row a ship....and don't say a galley

[Tim Marlow]

I wouldn’t be so sure of that Dave, a boat can still ship water :tongue-out3:
Napoleonic ships had sweeps didnt they Ian? They were used to row when the ship was becalmed. I’m sure when I was a kid longships were called longboats as well......
in the days of sail I think it was down to the rigging....three masts (or more), a full bowsprit, and square rigging was know as ship rigged. Anything else was known as a boat.

[Ian M]

Ok plan b
Big floaty thing = ship
Little floaty thing = boat
Sinky floaty thing = submarine ( if it can float again, otherwise it's just a wreck).