What Is a Kotra?

Kotra is often used in everyday Turkish simply to mean a ‘sailboat’; saying ‘he has a kotra’ does not specify a technical type. In marine terminology, however, its origin is the English ‘cutter’: it describes a classic rig with one mast that can carry more than one headsail.

Knowing the two lives of the term is useful in practice: when you hear ‘kotra’ in adverts or conversation, treat it as a category (sailboat), not a precise type; in a technical context, it refers to the cutter rig, with its forestay layout, inner forestay, and better flexibility in heavy weather.

Practical notes

• Ad confusion: an advert headed ‘kotra’ may still be a sloop or a ketch; the type is confirmed from the rig plan or photographs.

• Cutter maintenance point: the inner forestay and extra fittings mean a few more inspection points than on a sloop (more terminals and lift points).

The cutter rig is a classic choice for passage sailors: a small inner headsail is part of the heavy-weather setup. You can call it a kotra to your guest, but tell your surveyor the rig type. For yacht types, see our entries on rig types, gulet, tirhandil and motorsailer.