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?

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.

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."

//Walt

On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:56:35 -0400, Walt
wrote:

How about this for a working definition:

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

Doesn't work for me, there are lots of monohull keelboats that are
capable of planing under certain conditions. I used to race on a B-29
that was right on the cusp of almost being a sport boat but it really
wasn't. Downwind with 20+ kts it was one exciting ride however, and
we once planed at 17 to 18 kts for over 2 miles. The B-29 carried a
conventional spinnaker pole which enabled it to go lower on a
spinnaker run than a true sport boat, but also at lower speed.

Martin Schöön wrote:
snip
I forgot one thing in my previous response.
Are the numbers below based on empty boat weight or sailing displacement
with crew?


Empty, I believe.
There's a sportboat forum at 'Sailing Anarchy' and they
argue all the time about what is and what isn't a sportboat,
so I'm not sure there is any real definition. Not even the
guys who design them can reach full agreement, apparently.

But I will say, I know a sportboat when I see one!



How about this for a working definition:

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


Wayne.B wrote:
Doesn't work for me, there are lots of monohull keelboats that are
capable of planing under certain conditions.

Yes, that's a very large playing field.


.... I used to race on a B-29
that was right on the cusp of almost being a sport boat but it really
wasn't. Downwind with 20+ kts it was one exciting ride however, and
we once planed at 17 to 18 kts for over 2 miles. The B-29 carried a
conventional spinnaker pole which enabled it to go lower on a
spinnaker run than a true sport boat, but also at lower speed.


It's very tricky to get the angles right, as I'm sure Martin
S will agree. You can always go faster thru the water by
heating up, but that doesn't necessarily get you higher VMG.
It is a lot of fun though!

I sailed a Johnson 18, a centerboard sprit boat that could
also plane upwind (something very very few keelboats can
achieve) and the asymmetric was a total blast. I have sailed
a number of boats with a conventional spinnaker since then,
but I'm not planning on getting serious about another
one-design without it. It's just way too much bang for the buck.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

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