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