These are the most common sailing vessels in the water today. 
Scroll down to learn more about each!

Catamaran, Cruiser, Cutter, Ketch, Motorsailer, Schooner, Sloop, Yawl, and Yacht (Day Sailor, Weekender, Luxury Sailing Yachts, Racing Yachts).

Catamaran
- A type of multi-hulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls that are joined by some structure (most commonly a frame). Catamarans can be sail- or engine-powered and are a relatively new introduction to sailboat design.

Catboat
- A catboat has a single mast mounted fairly forward and does not carry a jib. Most modern designs have only one sail (the Mainsail), but the traditional catboat could have multiple sails.

Cutter
- A cutter is similar to a sloop with a single mast and mainsail, but it generally carries the mast further aft to allow for the use of two head sails.  These two sails are attached to two fore stays, the head stay and the inner stay, which carry the jib and stay sail respectively. This type of sailboat gives versatility to cruising boats, especially in high wind conditions, when a small jib can be flown from the inner stay.

Ketch
- A Ketch is similar to a sloop, but there is a second shorter mast to the stern of the mainmast, but forward of the rudder post. The second mast is called the mizzen mast and the sail is called the mizzen sail. A ketch can also be Cutter-rigged with two head sails.

 

Motorsailer
- A motorsailer is a sailboat that is capable of equal speed under power of the wind or motor.  Many catamarans can fit this definition.  Some consider a motorsailer any sailboat with a motor attached (which consists of most modern day sailing vessels). 

Schooner
- A schooner can have two or more masts, the aftermost mast taller or equal to the height of the forward mast(s).  This is the difference that distinguishes this design from a ketch or a yawl. Top sail schooners are rigged to carry a square sail near the top of their foremast, but it is more common for a schooner to have gaff or macaroni rigging.

Sloop
-  Today, the most common sailboat is the sloop which features one mast and two sails (a normal mainsail and a jib). This simple configuration is very efficient for sailing towards the wind. The mainsail is attached to the mast and the boom, which is a spar capable of swinging across the boat, depending on the direction of the wind. Depending on the size and design of the jib it can be called a foresail, Genoa, or spinnaker. It is possible but not common for a sloop to carry two jibs from the one forestay at one time (wing on wing).

 
Yawl
- A yawl is similar to a ketch, with the mizzen mast shorter than the main mast but the mizzen mast is carried astern of the rudder post. Generally the mizzen on a yawl is smaller than the mizzen on a ketch, and is used more for balance than propulsion.

Yachts
The most commons types of Yachts are day sailing yachts, weekender yachts, cruising yachts, luxury sailing yachts, and racing yachts.

*Yacht, by definition, means "a recreational boat" and is very vague.  Many times people can use different terms to speak about the same type of sailboat or yacht.