What defines a Skiff?

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by maxibuddah If its flat bottomed with a pointy bow and has either oars, an engine or a sail then it is most probably a skiff. Unfortunately that definition is b******s as it doesn't cover many of the traditional working boats that have been called skiffs, let alone modern ones.

my apologies Jim, didn't mean to upset you there, I forgot the key wording of shallow draft, couldn't be bothered to write it out in full again. All I can say is that those old working boats of years gone by should never be called that as some bloke is Sydney harbour has the sole rights to the skiff name, apparently.

Anyway could you not be so rude in your responses in future. I don't think that there was any need for the language even if you used asterixes...

skiff.....from french esquif from latin scapha = light boat.

Edited by GK.LaserII - 05 Oct 11 at 10:42am

Has anyone checked out the last "definition of a skiff" thread to see whether we have come to any different conclusions, or, more important, any better bullsh*t?

Originally posted by maxibuddah Anyway could you not be so rude in your responses in future.

Apologies if any offence caused, but I am completely bemused that you took it that way.
You found a description on line somewhere. You presumably didn't write it or anything, so why are you upset if I label that description as demonstrably [nonsense]. I'm not applying the term to you or to anything you've said, and we all know that there is no shortage of "information" on the net which is complete [nonsense].

As for the word skiff, its clearly one that has been used for quite different styles of boats at different times and places. Loch Fynne Skiffs, for instance, are entirely different craft to Thames Skiffs.

However the term was useful in a high performance boat context to distinguish boats which have a strong influence in the line of development that Chris indicated in his pieces (provided you didn't get confused by Skiff Moths anyway).

Was is probably the apposite word since the Musto Skiff in particular has pretty much none of that heritage nor anything much to do with that style of boat: to my minds its almost completely in the (sadly underrated) European Lake boat heritage.

Edited by JimC - 05 Oct 11 at 8:06pm

none really taken Jim, just think we all need to be more careful in our responses, especially me. I was at a stressful point in work and a little wound up when I read it, apologies from me.

Like the look of the Latin interpretation, probably rule the Wayfarer & Finn.