Too often we get caught up writing about something we really love. It takes us into the depths of self-reflection and spurs us to evangelize about our passions. I’ve written to some length about my preoccupation with – no, passion for – sailing. Specifically, yachting. While some would be quick to lump the two into the same “branding vertical” they are separate ventures.
It’s a deserved coloring, but yes, yachting is a more refined sporting venture than mere sailing. To be sure, the skills you hone as a sailor will serve you well when yachting, but the yacht is something all together different. In fact, the vessel itself is a beat all together different than your average schooner or sloop. Allow me to explain.
A typical yacht rental will do little in terms of educating you about the history and characteristics of a yacht. The common conception of the yacht as waterborne conveyance of royal personages began relatively late. The term “yacht” stems from the Dutch word “jacht” which means “to hunt.” The Dutch, never long to suffer the exploits of pirates, used yachts to hunt down Scandinavian pirates and criminals along the waterways of the North Sea. According to Wikipedia, which cites Gardiner and Lavery’s The Line of Battle: The Sailing Warship 1650-1840 as a source, the popularity and prestige of the yacht did not form until Charles II of England chose the vessel “to return to Britain from Holland for his restoration.” And so it began.
Today, a yacht can refer to one of two types of vessels: sail-powered or motor-powered. A true yachtsman, however, will balk at the notion of yachting on a motor-powered vessel. It is anathema to the culture and sport of yachting. That being said, there is a long tradition of the yacht as a recreational vessel. To be sure, Charles II was not manning the rigging, trying to win the America’s Cup. No, a slow, leisurely drift along the coastline is the domain of the idle and romantic.
The popularity of yacht-themed weddings or gatherings plays directly into this cultural pastiche. It plays into the exclusivity of the yacht, which does make – as fans or followers of my work can attest – for a lovely affair. But, the clinking of champagne glasses and the murmur of polite conversation aside, a yacht wedding has little to do with the rugged sport of yachting. But, in defense of social gatherings, it should not be. Puerto Aventuras Yachts