A yacht is a sea vessel used strictly for recreational or pleasure purposes like cruising, entertaining, water sports, fishing, or year-round accommodations. There is no nailed down definition of what makes a yacht a yacht, but most boaters consider a yacht to be any type of sea vessel that is used strictly for recreational or pleasure purposes and is usually large enough to have some form of sleeping quarters (cabin) on board for overnight trips as well as a kitchen (galley) and a bathroom (head). Some key features that define a yacht include:

• Size: Yachts tend to be larger than other types of recreational boats, though there isnt a specific cutoff that makes a hard and fast line between categories. Common usage tends to define a yacht as a vessel longer than 33 feet, or about 10 meters.

• Mode of Propulsion: Yachts can be propelled via wind and sails (sailing yacht) or via one or more motors (motor yacht).

• Design: Yachts can be designed for racing, emphasizing performance over comfort, or for luxury, including high-end finishes and features and the latest in modern performance technology.

• Occupancy: A proposed definition for calling a vessel a yacht rather than a ship would be if it was constructed solely for personal use and has a combined occupancy of less than 100, including crew.

• Function: Yachts can be classified by their function, such as charter yachts that are run as a business for profit, or yacht support vessels that are used to support larger yachts.

In summary, a yacht is a sea vessel used strictly for recreational or pleasure purposes, usually large enough to have some form of sleeping quarters (cabin) on board for overnight trips as well as a kitchen (galley) and a bathroom (head). There is no nailed down definition of what makes a yacht a yacht, but most boaters consider a yacht to be any type of sea vessel that is used strictly for recreational or pleasure purposes.