Whether we like it or not, but there is integration into a common boat market. In order to understand things and phenomena clearly, to expose thoughts, wishes and requirements correctly, we nee to use one language for everybody. And this is not always simple. There are many different specific terms. For example, “boating” is one of them.

"Boating" - this English word is used in special articles for description of phenomena related to the world of boats. Boating is the style of rest, the way of life, and trade. Word "cutter" (in German - kutter, Dutch - kotter, French - cotre) was initially used for denotation of a sailboat type which is known more as powerboat now. Small sizes, armed with a mast and oars (don`t be surprised, there were oar boats!), such boats were used mainly for maintenance of large ships. There are many different terms "Day Cruiser", "Runabout", "Walkaround", "Flybridge", "Cuddy Cabin"... Not only beginner will be confused in plenty of odd words in magazines, catalogues and talks about boats. These words are useful and are already used, although not always correctly. We`ll agree about the special terms, and then talk about classification peculiar to any field of knowledge, and which allow to orient in the objects variety, to understand better their distinctions.

Ships and boats were always classified by different signs. It`s possible to mark here crossing of two approaches - functional (by purpose) and structural (by architecture, construction, sizes). For example, the galleys of ancient period distinguished by the amount of lines of rowers, thus increase of rowers quantity with the purpose of increase of power and speed (function) inevitably lead to the growth of measurements (structure). The type of rig became the determining sign of belonging to the class in the age of sailing vessels. Besides this, the division was used by characteristics of other kind: freight ships distinguished by a carrying capacity (later – by displacement), military - by the number of cannons or functionally (battleships, frigates, corvettes and others). Here classification achieved great success; importance of the solved tasks and regulated approach allowed to make strict ordinance of battle ships types. But specialists know about happening of classes contradictions and unmating even within the limits of Military Naval Forces of one country, not mentioning different countries.

It`s more complicated to classify small ships. It`s necessary to talk here about the classes of displacement, transitional and skimming boats. At the same time it`s expedient to divide boats by purpose and architectural type. One can meet formulations like "25-foot sporting powerboat class", and numerical index is used in the identification of most models which indicates the length in feet or meters. Certainly, length can`t be the main criterion of class belonging (compare a boat for a boat-racing and catamaran), and there are the different types of boats in one length range. There are also local classifications entered by companies, which use the name of model in combination with the brand for type indication.

It`s difficult to create harmonious boat classification, similar to existing in zoology (class-order-family-genus-species) or chemistry (table of Mendeleev); it`s represented as 3-5-measured matrix. New boats appear with a great speed, and such classification must be very flexible. We`ll try to understand deeper the existent variety of powerboats, logic of boating development in its subject demonstration, to explain the most often met terms, and to correlate them with one or another representatives of vast powerboat family. Terms, related to aquabikes, formula and off-shore bolides, and also to sailboats and sail-motor boats are not considered.