This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. French to English
  3. Ships, Sailing, Maritime

bateau à vivre

English translation: Liveabord

21:01 Feb 10, 2007
French to English translations [PRO]
Ships, Sailing, Maritime / yachting
French term or phrase: bateau à vivre
Hi everyone. This concerns a classic racing yacht which has been restored for cruising: Je voulais un bateau à vivre avec des emménagements conçus pour de longues navigations. I doubt that 'houseboat' would be an adequate translation!
Graham macLachlan
Local time: 08:37
English translation:Liveabord
Explanation:
Not to be confused with "houseboats", liveabords are sailing ships (in the general sense) that have been converted in such a way as to make life abord a little less uncomfortable on the long haul. Ask me how I know...
Selected response from:

jacqueb
Local time: 02:37
Grading comment
In the end, I used a number of different expressions for the term, including this suggestion.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2Liveabord
jacqueb
4 +1a boat for living in
Jennifer Levey
4a easy to live-in boat or a boat to enjoy...
Drmanu49
4houseboat
TrueBaller
4a boat I could live on ; - suitable for long-distance cruising/sailing
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
3liveable boat
Miranda Joubioux (X)


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
a boat for living in


Explanation:
For example ...

or ... a boat you could (really) feel at home in ...

Jennifer Levey
Chile
Local time: 02:37
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Raymonde Gagnier: To live in...
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a easy to live-in boat or a boat to enjoy...


Explanation:
That's what they'd call it here in Louisiana!

Drmanu49
France
Local time: 08:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 174
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
houseboat


Explanation:
Yes, it is. A houseboat it is- if used for living in it:

http://www.thehouseboatstore.net/images/4/BoatflyerWhitfield...
http://www.thehouseboatstore.net/index.asp?lid=29&aid=158

Another term used is alos "trailer boat " , if used for temporary living in it when going a long sailing trips.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 37 mins (2007-02-10 21:38:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

also* ... sorry for the typo above

TrueBaller
Local time: 02:37
Native speaker of: Native in AlbanianAlbanian
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Liveabord


Explanation:
Not to be confused with "houseboats", liveabords are sailing ships (in the general sense) that have been converted in such a way as to make life abord a little less uncomfortable on the long haul. Ask me how I know...

jacqueb
Local time: 02:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
In the end, I used a number of different expressions for the term, including this suggestion.
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Janet Ross Snyder: I'll bite. How do you know?
5 hrs
  -> I lived abord an 85' gaff-rigged Skûtze for a year, but that was many moons ago, and I smell much better now...
agree  Claire Chapman
20 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
liveable boat


Explanation:
Another option.

A liveaboard is really a boat that you would live on for a long time. I don't think that this is what the text is referring to.

For me it's talking about how liveable it is particularly for long cruises.

Miranda Joubioux (X)
Local time: 08:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 74
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a boat I could live on ; - suitable for long-distance cruising/sailing


Explanation:
Not a liveaborad, not a houseboat, not in fact a term as such, which goes a certain way to explaining the apparent ambiguity. The texts describes what the person is hoping to get out of the yacht and mentions the layout/accommodation which is to make long-distance sailing not just possible, buit pleasant.

Depending on the rest of your text, opt for something purely descriptive, or perhaps the good old cruiser/racer, or cruising yacht. He's not really describing the type of boat - already described as a classic racer - but how he wants to be able to use it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day13 hrs (2007-02-12 10:54:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry not a crusiing yacht of course, as a calssic racing yacht. But the purchaser appears to be intending to do some long-distance cruising on her.


Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 08:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 198
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search