On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:56:35 -0400, in message

Walt wrote:

Wayne.B wrote:
(Martin Schöön) wrote:

What is a sport boat?
or
What is the 'definition' of sport boat?


Simple question, not quite as easy to answer.

The vast majority of true sport boats have sprit poles, large
asymmetric spinnakers, and are quick to reach planing speeds when off
the wind. Being able to plane implies a high ratio of sail area to
displacement of course, but it would be difficult to come up with a
hard number cutoff.

Regarding sport boats vs dinghys, sport boats have at least a minimal
cabin and sleeping accomodations in all of the cases that I'm aware
of. Sport boats will also have a ballast keel but that will not keep
them from capsizing if hard pressed or mis-handled.

How about this for a working definition:

"A monohull keelboat that's capable of planing."

That would make a Shark a sport boat....

Ryk

On 27 Aug 2006 23:10:14 +0200, (Martin Schöön)
wrote:
Simple question:

What is a sport boat?
or
What is the 'definition' of sport boat?

Looking at them 'from a distance' I think I have gathered
that a J 24 is not a sport boat but both J 80 and Melges 24
are. How come? Because they plane more readily?

How small can a sport boat be without becoming a dinghy?
How big? Is a Melges 30 still regarded as a sport boat?

Speaking of sport boats, the Melges 24 world championships are being
held in Hyeres, France this week, in windy mistral conditions. Some
good pictures he

http://www.melges24.com/photogalleri...Championsh ip

http://tinyurl.com/rmagw

My oldest son is crewing on the boat in picture # 3 and they are doing
fairly well. Well known sailor Dave Ullman is in picture # 10,
blasting through a wave with a lot of wind.