Wicked mouse is correct by mentioning that the Utrecht is not a merchant vessel.
The term "yacht" originates from the Dutch word jacht "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries.
Luxury States-yachts were based on war-yachts, and used in the 17th and 18th century to transport prominent members of Dutch society in great comfort over shallow rivers and inland waters. Between 1600 and 1800 around two hundred states-yachts were built in Holland. All single masted ships, of 15 to 30 meters (49 to 98 ft) in length. They were the equivalent of today’s chauffeur driven Maybachs and Rolls Royces.
States-yachts were owned by the States of Holland and the Dutch East India Company to maintain contact between large merchant vessels and the shore based headquarters.
Yacht of the VOC chamber of Rotterdam
In the 18th century wealthy merchants also started using luxury states-yachts as means of transportation or purely as pleasure yachts.
The crew was located next to the galley near the bow of the yacht. The large windows on the stern provided natural light for the guests in the main saloon.
The first Royal yacht was the "Mary". The Yacht Mary was built in the Netherlands and was presented to Prince Charles Stuart by the town of Amsterdam on the occasion of his proclamation to King of England. Measuring 66 feet in length by 18 feet in the beam, it was 100 tons burden and carried an armament of six
three-pounder guns. The hull is of a typical Dutch form with a flat and shallow draught using adjustable lee-boards to act as a keel when under sail.
It is considered the prototype of the pleasure-boats.
General information about Yachts.
"Yacht" a boat with decks, sails and cabins, It draws very little water & is excellent for short voyages. One is accustomed to using them for promenades & short crossings."
For centuries, the Netherlands had depended upon and
cultivated its countless waterways as its primary means of transportation, both of goods and of people. The successful opening of trade with the Indies brought vast wealth to whole sectors of Dutch society, and it was only natural that this bounty expressed itself on the sea. Even prior to the "great boom" of the early 1600's, many of the Netherlands' small, open or half-decked craft, such as the round-sterned Kaag, were often used as pleasure craft. It was an easy and natural progression to deck them over and provide for a small cabin, usually aft, but occasionally in the middle of the boat. As Dutch town-dwellers grew more affluent, more and more of these crafts were being built exclusively for pleasure. By 1620 hundreds of yachts were plying Holland's canals and its inland sea some owned by the Dutch East India Company and its officers, but many more owned by shareholders and other indirect beneficiaries. As early as 1630, boisterous racing competitions were being staged, often pitting neighboring cities against each other in friendly rivalries. Waterborne parades and even mock-battles became a staple of Dutch entertainment culture; even their pleasure-yachts celebrated the country's naval prowess by carrying cannons.
Thank you for reading.
Marcus