Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:39:00-2:39:53

The historical distinction between a boat and a ship

A traditional rule called a craft a boat if it could be carried by a ship, though submarine usage has outgrown that physical test.

BoatsNaval TerminologyShipsSubmarines
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Question

What distinguishes a boat from a ship?

Short answer

Traditionally, a boat could be carried aboard a ship, but modern submarine usage makes that rule more historical than literal.

Notes

A fixed length cannot reliably distinguish a boat from a ship. The traditional functional rule is that a boat can be carried aboard a ship, while a ship cannot ordinarily be carried aboard a boat. Modern heavy-lift vessels complicate the formula, and large submarines remain called boats even though no ordinary ship carries them. The terminology reflects historical and institutional practice.