Comments on: Going for a Boat Sail

By: Arliin

Arliin — Fri, 04 May 2007 20:48:48 +0000

I’m usually in (not on) a boat, and I’m rowing…..

By: muckdog

muckdog — Thu, 03 May 2007 23:00:16 +0000

I say “boat ride.”

By: absent.canadian

absent.canadian — Thu, 03 May 2007 14:57:28 +0000

I agree with Lynn – the correct term for riding on a boat that is powered by an engine is “cruise”. The person operating the helm is “driving” or “piloting”, while the passengers are merely “cruising”. While being driven, a cruiser is “under power”.

By: Lynn Tucker

Lynn Tucker — Wed, 02 May 2007 21:14:35 +0000

The term for going out in a boat with no sails is “Cruising”. Yachts are are called Cruisers. The large area that is like a platform above the windows of the Cruiser is called the “Fly Deck”. Where you walk to the tip of the front is called the “Walk-around”. The wide part at the back over the propellers is the “Rear”, “Stern”, or “Deck”.
I don’t know anything about sailing, but my family are Cruisers here on Lake Ontario in Canada.

By: Penny

Penny — Tue, 01 May 2007 13:48:22 +0000

Cracking me up here. Seriously the things you think of.

When I on a boat with sails I say I am going sailing. When I am on boat without sails, I say I am going for a ride, as in we rode the boat to the Kinderdijk.

By: Breigh

Breigh — Tue, 01 May 2007 09:40:42 +0000

The argument wasn’t really about what a boat does, rather what you do ON a boat. I don’t disagree that you’d say that a ferry or cruise ship ‘sets sail’ at a certain time… but you don’t SAIL on a cruise ship or a ferry. You ride on one. hehe

By: Gail

Gail — Tue, 01 May 2007 05:03:36 +0000

Oh, and I also say, “I went for a boating trip” or “I went for a boat trip”, just to further muddy the waters, haha.

By: Gail

Gail — Tue, 01 May 2007 05:02:23 +0000

That’s a good one. I say different things, depending on the type of vessel:

I went yachting/speedboating/boating/sailing/etc. I also say ‘I went for a cruise…’

But I also rode a ferry to work for years, I don’t think I used any other expression for that. On BC Ferries’ onboard announcement I think they refer to it as ‘sailing’ on the ferry, even though it’s only powered by motor.

Gah! I think Xander just likes to wind you up :)

By: Darryn

Darryn — Tue, 01 May 2007 02:52:34 +0000

I met a random at the pub last Friday who worked on a supply ship for an oil rig. He was on shore leave. Although he worked solely on powered vessels he always referred to his trips as ‘sailing’. “I sailed to Singapore” or “we don’t sail too close to the rig”.

So I agree with Xander. The man I spoke to was a professional.

By: Jose

Jose — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:28:14 +0000

I know nothing about sailig because like you I don’t own a boat, but my co-worker is an avid _________?

I went and ask him, “Do you sail on your boat?” He said, “no, I am not a sailor and my boat doesn’t have sails”. So what is it you do when you take it out? He said, “I go boating”. What if you go out on a big yath, I’m still going boating, but some people call it power boating. So what if you go in a big ship? He said, like a cruise ship… yes… then you cruise.

So I guess here it all revolves around boating, or a variation of.

Way I see it, you are winning although your husband may be partly right, I still don’t know.