What is the difference between a boat and a ship? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk
Go to:&&Guardian Unlimited homeUK newsWorld newsComment is free blogSport blogArts & entertainment blogPodcastsIn picturesVideo----------------------Archive searchArts and entertainmentBooksBusinessEducationGuardian.co.ukEnvironmentFilmFootballJobsKatine appealLife and styleMediaGuardian.co.ukMoneyMusicThe ObserverPoliticsScienceShoppingSocietyGuardian.co.ukSportTalkTechnologyTravelBeen there----------------------AudioEmail servicesSpecial reportsThe GuardianThe northernerThe wrap----------------------Advertising guideCompare finance productsCrosswordFeedbackGarden centreGNM press officeGraduateGuardian BookshopGuardianEcostoreGuardianFilmsHeadline serviceHelp / contactsInformationLiving our valuesNewsroomNotes & QueriesReader OffersSoulmates datingStyle guideSyndication servicesTravel offersTV listingsWeatherWeb guidesWorking for us----------------------Guardian AbroadGuardian WeeklyMoney ObserverPublicLearnGuardian back issuesObserver back issuesGuardian Professional &
Categories
What is the difference between a boat and a ship?
David McCann, Finstown Scotland
A ship can carry a boat. A boat cannot carry a ship. Peter Brooke, By Kinmuck, Scotland
A ship is large enough to have boats hanging along its sides. However, ferries are always boats but nowadays are often as large as cruise ships and carry lifeboats. David Hattams, Plaka, Vamos, Crete, Greece
As with many things it's to do with size. A ship can carry a boat but a boat cannot carry a ship. William Gosling, Niederkorn, Luxembourg
One answer is that a ship can carry a boat, but a boat cannot carry a ship.
Another is that a ship's captain gets annoyed if you refer to his vessel as a boat, but a boat's captain does not get annoyed if you refer to his vessel as a ship. Brian Robinson, Brentwood, Essex
A boat is a ship when it is so big that you can put a boat on it!
Royal Navy submarines are, however, always termed boats. Chris Nutt, Cambridge, Cambs
There are two explanations given for this, the first is "A boat is a craft that can be hoisted aboard a ship"; as early submarines could.
The other is "A vessel with only one deck is a boat, more than one - it's a ship"; although large modern subs (I imagine) have more than one deck. Keith Pettitt, Crewe, Cheshire
Simplistically, a ship can carry a boat, but a boat cannot carry a ship. But you could debate this for a long time. I have done. To quote a friend (and Ship Science graduate) that I have posed this question to in the past:
"There's no right answer because there are always exceptions. The ship carrying a boat thing works a bit but not for a fishing boat, for example. A ship is generally an ocean going vessel but then that doesn't work for submarines which are always boats. Or over 500t, always exceptions to that too! A sailing ship is one that has 3 or more masts with yards crossing them - but i don't suppose that helps much!" Vicki Franks, Cambridge, UK
A ship can carry boats but a boat cannot carry ships. Please note, a submarine is always referred to as a boat. Clive Palmer, Yeovil, Somerset
You can put a boat on a ship but you can't put a ship on a boat. J. Owens, London, UK
None of the forgegoing answers account for the fact that a "skiff" (a small boat) is etymologically the same as "ship", and can be hoisted aboard many larger vessels.
The precise (and pedantic) definition of a ship is a vessel with no fewer than three masts, all of which carry square-rigged sails. All other vessels are separately defined. Most of the vessels we would nowadays designate as "ships" are correctly "Motor Vessels".
(My answer doesn't account for the naming of most vessels of the Royal Navy "HMS", although this is a relative the RN used to refer to "His/Her Majesty's Sloop So-and-so" and "His/Her Majesty's Frigate Such-and-such". The Royal yacht Britannia, now moored at Leith, is "HMY".) Paul Thompson, Perth, Scotland
Nothing to do with size .. its all to do with function.
The function of a boat happens on its deck, the function of a ship happens inside it! ian Buchan, Glasgow UK
I believe, traditionally according to the UK Royal Navy, that a ship floats on the water whilst a boat is underwater, i.e a submarine. Hence the movie Das Boot. William Peters, Vienna, Austria
"It's common lore that a ship rolls outboard in a turn while a boat rolls inboard. I don't think whether one fits into another has anything to do with it"
There is a more technical definition:
"On a boat the centre of gravity is below the freeboard, on a ship it is above. In practice this means a boat, such as a submarine, will lean into a curve when turning while a ship will lean out."
"The difference between a ship and a boat is which way they heel or skid, when turning. A ship will heel outward during a turn, a boat will turn inward during a turn.
In other terms, a motorcycle will lean inward during a turn, a car, truck, etc. will lean outward.
Same concept for ship vs. boat." Neil, Plymouth United Kingdom
I am even more confused now.
Although, I do like the 'function' explanation - boat on deck, ship below deck. Eve, sydney Australia
A ship weighs more than 150 gross tons - ergo a boat is anything smaller! CJ, barlby UK
I was led to believe that no formal qualification was needed to sail or operate a boat as in speed boat but in order to be in charge of a ship a formal captains creditation must be obtained and all ships must carry a bona fide qualified captain,who then has the powers to perform wedding ceremonies, sea burials and the power of imprisonment whilst on board a ship. it seems that these things cannot be carried out on a boat. I look forward to people's views on this response. chris, swansea west glam
A boat leans into a turn a ship leans out. This answer from ny nephew who just graduated from the Royal Navy College. Sandman, St. Louis USA
There are different definitions, one being that a ship (sailing) must be full rigged and have a minimum of 3 masts.
Another is that a ship has a through fitted deck, whereas a boat has an at least partly open cockpit and may be completely open. It is for this reason that submarines, which have no through decks because they are divided into compartments by bulkheads, are always referred to as boats, not because they used to be carried on ships or that American ones are built by the Electric Boat Company. Size and what can be carried on what is irrelevant. johnboy, Cardiff UK
a ship is a surface vessel whereas a boat is a submarine connor woolrich, truro england
The two vessels react differently when turning, one swings into the curve of the motion, the other out of the curve. This is the Royal Navy definiton of the two vessel types. Keith baker, Waalre, Brabant
Boats can't carry the capacity of a ships! Much larger too!
Marsha Young, Columbus, Ohio USA
A ship can carry a boat but a boat cannot carry a ship Isaac Owusu Sarpong , Ejura Ashanti, Ghana
Glad that's been cleared up! Willie Eckerslike, Stainforth, UK
A boat can be lifted out of water for repairs but a ship spends all its life in water the only time a ship leaves the water is when its decommissioned and cut up.
Pete Murphy, Heywood, England
A boat only carries a small quantity of goods but a ship carries a large quantity of goods. Libin, Nagercoil, India
You can row a boat, you cant row a ship!!! Andrew McFarlane, Bridport United Kingdom
Would you class a canoe as a boat?
I have been having this argument with my boss for a few days now he thinks a canoe is not a boat, I disagree, any thoughts anyone?
I agree with the carry a boat on a ship argument. Peter, Grafton Australia
This goes to show that it's better to know a good question than a good answer. Guy Benians, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, UK
In the navy a ship is a vessel and a submarine is a boat. Ben, Trembath uk
A ship can carry a boat and a boat cannot carry a ship. The USS COLE is a ship...no doubt. It was carried by the blue marlin to Mississippi from Yemen. I guess the blue marlin is a super ship. It's a ship if it is designated by a government or governing authority as a ship. All boats are privately owned. Submarines as ships...They are designated as USS...United States Ship. john, hawaiian navy usa
Boat can not sink, but ship can. That is the only difference.
Leszek Kunc, Melbourne Australia
Ship are used to make people cross far distances but boats are used to make people cross smaller distances Nishith Puranik, Hyderabad India
The main difference is the
SPELLING....Doh Pirate, Brisbane Australia
A ship has curtains. John noble, Scotland
YOU CAN ROW A BOAT, YOU TRY ROWING A SHIP! Steve Hart, Bexley Kent
A Ship is a vessel that's ocean going. A boat is a vessel that's inshore/coastal.
Roy Pearson, Castleford West Yorks
In general, size is what distinguishes the two, boats being smaller than ships, but the words' usage is more complicated than any one simple rule of absolute size can describe.
The US Navy generally follows the "boats are smaller" rule, referring to its smaller vessels as boats and its larger ones as ships. (This notwithstanding that the designation USS stands for "United States Ship" and that some US Navy submarines are built, as least partly, by the General Dynamics Electric Boat Division-- the Newport News Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. also builds US Navy submarines, in whole or in part.)
Also, the "three plus square-rigged masts" rule for sailing ships is, in practice, consistent with "boats are smaller" because small sailing vessels wouldn't benefit from three or more square-rigged masts-- other arrangements can work as well or better. Indeed, small sailing vessels would suffer from the weight and complexity of so many masts with so much rigging. Large sailing vessels, on the other hand, need the sail area such masts and rigging can provide in order to move, and the masts' and rigging's weight can be a much smaller proportion of a large vessel's total weight, while a large vessel can accommodate sufficient crew to handle the rigging's complexity.
Vessels intended for navigation of coastal and inland waters are generally called boats, while ocean-going vessels are generally called ships. However, the former are also generally smaller than the latter.
What it boils down to is the same issue one is confronted with when hearing of "jumbo shrimp" or "tiny whales". Provided that both terms refer to living (or formerly living) animals, one would hardly expect a jumbo shrimp to be larger than, or, for that matter, anything other than much smaller than a tiny whale. Use of words that attribute size-- small and large, big and little, jumbo and tiny, as well as many others-- is context-relative: one can confidently assume that a small watermelon is much larger than a large grape. The same is true of words that imply size, words such a boat and ship.
The fact that perhaps not all boats are so small and not all ships so large that any ship could reasonably carry any boat is irrelevant. So is the fact that some boats are so large that trying to propel them only with oars might be no more effective than trying to propel a typical ship the same way. Categorically, boats are smaller than ships, in spite of the fact that the two categories overlap considerably.
It's been suggested that the difference between a boat and a ship is that a boat's captain would not be offended to hear the boat referred to as a ship, while a ship's captain would be offended to hear the ship referred to as a boat. This may be true, but it's unlikely to be useful in determining which word to use in a given situation, since so few people have ready access to sufficient numbers of captains (of sufficient varieties of boats and ships) that they are willing to risk offending. grosbach, Saint Petersburg, Florida US
Simple, when a ship sinks you get in a boat, when a boat sinks you get in the water. Rick, Jupiter USA
You do not call a cruise ship a cruise boat, right?! I hate it when news reporters call liners, cruise ships, Tankers, car carriers, bulk carriers, and many other classes of ships - boats. Like it is, you can't put a ship on a boat generally. A boat can be carried by a ship.
However with modern day vessel constructions, you can put a ship on a ship, depending on its size and gross tonnage, and you can put a boat on a boat, like yacht carriers. I always thought it was a cut off on what the size and gross tonnage of the vessel when it goes from boat to ship classifications. The USCG will have the distinction of classifications I am sure. Scott keller, Scarborough, Maine USA
It's not the size of the boat, it's the motion of the ocean. Stop talking ship. Kate, Kuala Lumpar Malaysia
Ship is bigger, than boat Edgar, Yerevan Armenia
A ship has more than one through deck ABOVE the water line. Matt, Liverpool UK
Handling a ship is work, handling a boat is fun. Ray Murphy, Horsham, Victoria Australia
Hi all, I think a ship is like the old days when an old sail ship would need ballast to go from 1 place to the other? But a boat could do it as it was without ballast? as for a sub? Pine, Clyde Argyll
A boat heels the direction of its turn. A ship heels away from the direction of its turn. Jack, Philadelphia USA
I suggest that a ship has a bridge, wheras a boat would either have a wheelhouse, cockpit or coning tower Drew Mc Gookin, Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland
A ship is any vessel over 100 feet in length. Neil, Sydney Australia
A boat will work the waterways.
A ship will ply the waterways. Z Edge, Jurien Bay, Australia
So if you put a boat on a boat on a ship does the middle one become a ship too or stay a boat? Grathan Lingod, Aberkenfig Wales
In the officers mess it is said "A ship, gentlemen is what we are in, a boat, is what the gravy comes in" Der Murphy, Waterford, Ireland
guardian.co.uk & Guardian News and Media Limited 2011What Is a Yellow Watermelon? (with pictures)
Category:&
What Is a Yellow Watermelon?
Yellow watermelon.
Yellow watermelons are a fruit, and a vegetable, that originated in Africa.
Article Details
Originally Written By:
Revised By: Wanda Marie Thibodeaux
Edited By: Andrew Jones
Last Modified Date: 12 March 2015
Copyright Protected:
Conjecture Corporation
Free Widgets for your Site/Blog
The Unagi Travel company of Japan offers stuffed animal vacations--without their owners.&
Robert E. Lee surrendered.&
Subscribe to wiseGEEK
Learn something new every day
wiseGEEK Slideshows
These 10 animal facts will amaze you...
Ten hilariously insightful foreign words
You won't believe these 10 facts about people...
Adorable animal families that will make you "aww"...
These 10 facts about space will blow your mind...
Originally from Africa and categorized as both a fruit and vegetable, watermelons are hydrating, sweet, and rich in . A yellow
is basically the same as one of any other color — it just has yellow flesh on the inside instead of the more common pink or red color. The fruit is generally grown in warm regions and, depending on the variety,
can be as large as 30 lbs. (13.6 kg) once fully grown. People use the yellow fruit the same way they’d use any other type, although watermelons of this color can be more difficult to find.
Why Is It Yellow?
Watermelons that are pink or red on the inside contain a powerful antioxidant called , which is perhaps best known for making tomatoes red. Yellow watermelons do not contain this antioxidant, so they don't have the same reddish tint.
Yellow watermelons are known for their extremely sweet taste, which some people say tastes a bit like . Not all melons will share this sweetness, however, and the flavor often depends on the conditions in which they were grown. Watermelons grown in poor conditions may not taste as good or as sweet, and those that are picked before they are fully ripe often have a weak flavor.
Like its pink and red cousins, a ripe yellow watermelon should feel firm and have a smooth, blemish-free surface, free of cracks and bruises. The rind will become deeper green as the melon ages, so shoppers may want to choose fruit that appears a little paler. Yellow or white areas on the outside are where the fruit rested on the ground and don’t affect its quality.
Not all shoppers are interested in buying a full-size watermelon, so many sellers offer packaged slices, quarters, or halves. This is most common at grocery stores, which have the ability to keep cut produce cold and slow spoilage. Although melon sold in pieces is usually more expensive, buyers sometimes prefer portions because they can more easily see how fresh and ripe the fruit is.
Types, Size, and Yield
Yellow Flesh Black Diamond, Desert King, Yellow Crimson, Yellow Doll, Buttercup and Tastigold are just some of the varieties of yellow watermelon available. Smaller ones are often called "icebox" melons, because they can usually fit easily in most refrigerators. They typically don’t grow bigger than 5 to 18 lbs. (2.3 to 8.2 kg), half the size or less of a regular watermelon.
Many people enjoy eating yellow watermelon plain, served in slices or chunks, particularly on hot summer days. It can add variety, interest, and color to a meal when served as a side dish or for dessert. Cooks who are a little more adventurous can find ways to use the melon in soups, kabobs, salads and salad dressings, salsa, and cakes. Many people find it to be a great addition to , cocktails, and other drinks. Although most people toss the rind into the trash, it's just as edible as the flesh, and can be used in
or pickle recipes.
After it has been picked, an uncut watermelon will keep for up to two weeks in a cool, dry environment. Slicing it reduces its storage time by half, so people usually do not cut one until just before serving it. Once cut, the pieces can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container — glass containers usually work best. Plastic bags don't work as well because they tend to sag against the flesh, trapping
gas released by the melon, which causes it to decay. Storing the pieces by themselves usually extends their life, since keeping them with other fruit increases the amount of ethylene they are exposed to.
Yellow watermelon contains vitamin A and C, several B vitamins, , magnesium, iron, , and phosphorous. These nutrients keep the immune system strong and have benefits for the heart. They also fight free radicals that damage cells and cause cancer, although yellow varieties, because they don't contain lycopene, may not provide as much of a benefit as red ones do. Watermelon also contains a lot of water, so it's a good choice for people who are trying to stay hydrated.
A 1 cup (152 g) serving contains about 45 calories. The exact number depends on the variety, however, because some have a higher sugar content than others. Consumers often prefer sweeter watermelons, but they do have more calories. The high amount of sugar is why many diet experts recommend that people who are trying to lose weight limit the amount of watermelon they eat, as should people with .
Where to Buy and Price
Yellow watermelons are not as common in the United States as red and pink are, especially in northern states where the growing season is shorter. In addition, melons that aren't labeled correctly might confuse a shopper, who could think that the color is an indicator that the fruit is unripe or spoiled. Farmer’s markets are more likely to carry yellow watermelons, but they can be found in some supermarkets, agricultural co-ops, and organic food stores.
Generally, it is no more expensive to buy a yellow watermelon than a pink or red one because they require the same amount of growing space, fertilizer, and time to grow. Seedless varieties tend to be more expensive than seeded ones, however, mainly because they need other plants for pollination. Buying a melon outside of the typical growing season also increases the cost, since the fruit must usually be shipped in or grown in a greenhouse.
Classification
Despite the name, watermelon isn't a "true" melon because it doesn't belong to the Cucumis genus. Most people use this term anyway, and watermelon is often included in lists of melon types.
Most people call watermelon a fruit, which is technically accurate because it is the ripened ovary of a seed plant. It's a member of the Citrullus lantus family, however, making it a relative of cucumbers and pumpkins, so some people consider it a vegetable. Growers also use the same types of production systems to grow these melons as they do for vegetables, adding to the debate.
Cultivation
At a minimum, a yellow watermelon plant requires about 1 square yard (0.9 square meters) of well-drained ground space to grow in, although larger varieties need up to double this. The seeds prefer temperatures between 70° and 85°F (21° to 29°C) to sprout, so the fruit is often grown in warmer regions, such as California or Mexico. The growing season in such areas is between May and October, with plants sprouting four to six weeks after planting.
Gardeners who grow watermelons need to pay attention to whether the variety they produce is seeded or seedless. Seeded varieties produce pollen, but seedless don’t. This means that the farmer has to have a pollinizer, another plant that can provide pollen, or the plants won't produce any fruit.
Gardeners should harvest the melons when the vines near the stem of the fruit turns brown or dies.
People sometimes think that yellow watermelons are the result of recent plant breeding experiments, largely because they are not as common as other varieties, but yellow and white varieties are actually older than pink and red. Experts believe that the yellow versions originated somewhere in Africa, although they haven’t been able to prove this conclusively.
Recommended
You might also Like
Related wiseGEEK Articles
Discuss this Article
anon336453
Yellow watermelon has four times the amount of citrulline as red watermelon, which can act better than viagra.
anon290705
I was at Sprouts today, where I happened to pick up some small watermelons here in California. Assuming I had purchased the regular kind, I went to slice them up only to discover that my watermelon was yellow, not red/pink color.I assumed maybe this watermelon hadn't matured properly, but then, that wouldn't have made sense either if Sprouts was selling them.I've never heard or seen yellow watermelons before, but am trying them for the first time in my life. They are actually good and taste the same as the regular kind.
anon285438
I live in Indiana and I am growing the yellow watermelons. I found the seeds at Walmart. I think they were $1-$1.50 for a big pouch of them. They are very sweet if you get a good ripe one. You have to be very careful with that or it's pretty sour or has a greenish taste to it. I had never heard or seen these before until I bought the pouch and grew them myself. My husband loves to find different veggies like black tomatoes, etc. to try.
anon281347
The yellow watermelon that my husband just bought was more sour than sweet. We live in Kansas.
@mitchell14, many watermelon varieties grow all over the world. Yellow watermelon grows much the same as other varieties, but the seeds are more expensive to acquire. It’s likely that to find them in your area, you might have to ask local grocery stores and produce sellers if it’s something they carry.
mitchell14
I have never heard of yellow watermelon. Does anyone know what regions can best grow different kinds of watermelon, or the best places to buy them?
Please enter the code:
Make changes/additions/deletions to the article below, and one of our editors will publish your suggestions if warranted.
Optional: Explanation of your recommended changes
Thank You!
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted.
Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive,
this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!
Copyright & 2003 - 2015
Conjecture Corporation}