"Sailing Vessel" Prefix to Boat Name

[Howler]

When is it appropriate / required to use the "Sailing Vessel" or "SV" prefix to a boat's name?

[Stu Jackson]

Never. I think it sounds corny on the radio. I usually mutter to myself: "Big deal."

[sy_gilana]

On an address label for incoming packages.


eg.

S/V Bugalugs IN TRANSIT
Monkey Marina
North End
Funny Island
Bigbumbia.

[Calif.Ted]

It's appropriate when used as an aid to identification or clarity over the radio.
"Navy Warship 4 this is the S/V Kinda Nervous off your port bow, would you like us to alter course Sir?"
I almost always use on radio, habit perhaps.

[vaporware]

I use it on the Columbia River when communicating with commercial vessels and bridges. They know what to look for.

[Tillsbury]

In the UK it’s more usual to use “yacht” as a prefix, but only on vhf (and thus, most importantly, on a mayday call). I’m guessing S/v is more common in the us? I’ve heard both here in nz.

I did apply the prefix “yacht” to my AIS vessel name, to make it abundantly clear to commercial vessels that I was the idiot with the sails coming towards them.

[vaporware]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

In the UK it’s more usual to use “yacht” as a prefix, but only on vhf (and thus, most importantly, on a mayday call). I’m guessing S/v is more common in the us? I’ve heard both here in nz.

I did apply the prefix “yacht” to my AIS vessel name, to make it abundantly clear to commercial vessels that I was the idiot with the sails coming towards them.

Yacht can refer to both sailboats and large power boats. SV allows someone to know what they're looking for. I'll add it to my boat name when I finally get around to installing AIS

[toddster8]

Originally Posted by vaporware

I use it on the Columbia River when communicating with commercial vessels and bridges. They know what to look for.

Exactly. Not to mention the lock operators and the Coast Guard. Sailboats interact with these entities in significantly different ways than other vessels.

Alternatively, one could use the actual ship's call sign. Assuming the other person is sitting at a computer, they can rapidly look up exactly who and what you are. Probably not many people can do that from the helm. Not yet, anyway.

I overheard a conversation a few months ago, in which some guy called the Coast Guard using an (expired) aircraft call sign. Confusion ensued.

[Jammer]

I use it routinely on radio calls because it helps the other party identify the boat visually. As pointed out upthread, the interactions with anyone you might speak with on the radio are going to be different than they would be for a motor yacht.

[nhschneider]

Our boat currently in Panama and the freighter traffic is pretty intense. What we think is interesting as the freighters refer to themselves as 'Motor Vessel' when transmitting on the VHF.

We use 'Sailing Vessel' when making initial contact on the radio, we also have 'S/V' before our boat name on our t-shirts and it's also in the title of our blog.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

In the UK it’s more usual to use “yacht” as a prefix, but only on vhf (and thus, most importantly, on a mayday call). I’m guessing S/v is more common in the us? I’ve heard both here in nz.

I did apply the prefix “yacht” to my AIS vessel name, to make it abundantly clear to commercial vessels that I was the idiot with the sails coming towards them.

In my experience, "yacht" doesn't necessarily imply sails.


As others have said. Use S/V when identification of your vessel is important.

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by vaporware

Yacht can refer to both sailboats and large power boats. SV allows someone to know what they're looking for. I'll add it to my boat name when I finally get around to installing AIS

Again, this sounds like a local usage variation. I would agree that “motor yacht” and “superyacht” are both terms for power vessels, but in British English not “yacht”.

In American English you have the terms “sailing yacht” (which would only be used in British English to clarify to a non-sailor what you were talking about) and “sailboat”, which doesn’t exist in British English.

[c-reel]

Local usage ... Ahh. Brits. Local usage like: "this is yacht Queen Majesty crossing the English channel"

While there is not such a thing. It is called La Manche.
Beside, few on the continent side will be able to pronounce yacht properly anyway.

(kidding) but colregs refers to sailing vessel, not yot/yautch/yacht.

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Again, this sounds like a local usage variation. I would agree that “motor yacht” and “superyacht” are both terms for power vessels, but in British English not “yacht”.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Again, this sounds like a local usage variation. I would agree that “motor yacht” and “superyacht” are both terms for power vessels, but in British English not “yacht”.

The Royal Yacht!

[Wotname]

I suppose SV is better than WAFI but often the latter is more accurate.