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

[Guest]

I'm with Dave. Anything that can't go further than inshore water is a boat.

Could you use requiring a crew as a definition for a ship? Opposed a boat that requires only one pilot.

[Bortig the Viking]

Opposed a boat that requires only one pilot.

Is it now a plane? Getting confused now, where's my Meds!!!

[Guest]

Well.....driver doesn't seem right. That implies wheels. Operator? Captain doesn't seem right without a crew. Helmsman?

[bilbo]

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).

does that mean a rowing boat is a ship until its next to something bigger? :tongue-out3:

[Tim Marlow]

I think the only definition w3 can agree on is that a Boat starts with the letter B, and a ship starts with the letter S.....
By the way, does all this mean that Boaty McBoatface should have been called Shippy McShipface?

[stillp]

That's another thing - ferry boats. I don't think I've heard them called ships, even the big cross-channel ones.
Pete

[Peter Gillson]

All a matter of size - I recall a harbour pilot explining it to me by saying that you can ship a boat in a ship but you cannot boat a ship in a boat. Perhaps he had been at sea too long!

Peter

[adt70hk]

I think the only definition w3 can agree on is that a Boat starts with the letter B, and a ship starts with the letter S.....
By the way, does all this mean that Boaty McBoatface should have been called Shippy McShipface?

Actually no! The research ship (note ship) was given the name the Sir David Attenborough. Boaty is the name of the submersible it carries - a boat on two counts.

I will now apologise for trying to introduce a modicum of sanity into what had become a very funny thread!

Bilbo - thanks for asking the question. Who knew it could get so complicated, not to mention funny!

ATB.

Andrew

[boatman]

WELL in my opinion the shell welder is big enough to be called a ship ok:tongue-out2:
chris

[Ian M]

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

In conclusion:
Post away and If I think its in the wrong place I'll move it. :tongue-out3:

Some interesting theories in this thread as to what is what. Regarding the forum sections as it is and will continue to be Big floaty things are a ship. ie warships, cargoships and the like.
Small floaty things such as MTB's, launches, patrol boat, rowboat, are boats. Things that are designed to go under the water are a submarine.
Diorama of boats/ships live in the diorama section.

[Guest]

Anything that can't go further than inshore water is a boat.

That definition would make this a ship:

[ATTACH]413498[/ATTACH]

And this a boat:

[ATTACH]413500[/ATTACH]

[Guest]

Good point, however I would class those as purpose built exceptions and examples of when the definitions are intentionally skewed in pursuit of either an extreme acievement or a localised logistical problem.

[stillp]

Good point, however I would class those as purpose built exceptions and examples of when the definitions are intentionally skewed in pursuit of either an extreme acievement or a localised logistical problem wrong.

Fixed it for you!

[Guest]

Good point, however I would class those as purpose built exceptions and examples of when the definitions are intentionally skewed in pursuit of either an extreme acievement or a localised logistical problem.

Agreed about the rowboat, but the container ship is just a specialised example of a very common type of vessel on European waterways that you can see anywhere between the mouths of the Rhine and the Danube and beyond.

My point, really, is what I said before: I don’t think there’s a meaningful difference other than the distinction any given source tries to make between “boat” and “ship”. As far as I can tell, they’re just two words that evolved in parallel and for some reason, now have to have distinct meanings in some circles.

[Mini Me]

Does Tonnage enter into this anywhere.........or have I missed something? The Carrier I was on had seven decks above the flight deck and seven decks below the flight deck.....some of those below the waterline.
Try that in a boat.