A yacht is any size vessel that is used for pleasure. Even a little sunfish or rowboat is technically a yacht if you use it for recreation.

If loa is above 40′ than its a yacht, otherwise its a boat. I’ve heard about such rule. But in Europe for example, the word “boat” is a most common.

yacht (yät) KEY

NOUN:

Any of various relatively small sailing or motor-driven vessels, generally with smart graceful lines, used for pleasure cruises or racing.

Notice there is no size listed.

My boat is 15′, I call her “The Nimitz” because, she has a profile of an “Aircraft carrier” or “Flat Top” (15′ Boston Whaler), That doesn’t mean she “IS” the “USS Nimitz” !

Any boat that has sufficient refrigeration to keep ice cream frozen is a yacht !!

A yacht has been defined as any vessel used for pleasure, as opposed to a working boat. That being said, I don’t think I’ll ever refer to my dinhy as a yacht.

If you’re poor, like me, then it’s a boat.
If you’re independantly wealthy, it’s a yacht.

Yachts generally begin between thirty-six and forty feet in length, so if your friend with the thirty footer wants to call his a yacht, let him. I know people who refer to their sixteen foot outboard skiffs as yachts..It’s purely a matter of perspective.