skiff or no skiff

this whole skiff thing is getting into quite a few topics so i thought i would make its own topic.

there are a few oppinions out there:

1, skiffs are only 12ft-18ft ( ie,ausie boats)

2, boats like the 49er,800 etc are skiffs aswell

3, a skiff is just a flat boat that can plann upwind which includes boats like the 4k, 505 etc

personally i would say that boats like the 49er, 800, 29er, cherub etc are skiffs cos they are all based on the ausie's boats just toned down so normal people can sail them.

happy posting

Originally posted by tgruitt you calling is Cherub lot normal???

i think the word for u guys is "speical"

This was killed to death, dug up and killed some more by the Aussies over on SA several times.

Conclusion seemed to be most of the world uses skiff to mean fast asymetric dingy with a fairly distictive and similer hull type because skiff is shorter and easier to type than all that lot. This drives some Aussies nuts as they rekon it can only be used for the Sydney harbor skiff classes and a couple of exeptions and is based on club history

But then if you take that argument to its logical conclusion in the UK you can only use the word skiff to mean these:

A wayfarer has a shallow draft and flat bottom compared to a Contessa 26, say...

And an 18 footer isn't flat bottomed compared to a Sharpie - I think dictionary definitions can only take us so far. And Cherubs have a ton of freeboard too - I don't think that comes into at all!