For other meanings, see cutter (baseball), cutter (tool) and self-harm.
A cutter is any of several types of small water vessel.
A classic cutter is any sailing vessel with two or more head sails and a mast which is set further aft (to the rear of the vessel) than that of a sloop.
The term is English in origin and refers to a specific type of vessel, namely, "a small, decked ship with one mast and bowsprit, with a gaff mainsail on a boom, a square yard and topsail, and two jibs or a jib and a staysail." (Peter Kemp, editor, The Oxford Companion to Ships & the Sea; London: Oxford University Press, 1976; pp. 221-222.)
Historically, a cutter is any vessel used in law enforcement duties of Great Britain's Royal Customs Service, United States Department of the Treasury's Revenue Cutter Service (1790 to 1915) which merged in 1915 to become United States Coast Guard, or the equivalent in other fleets. They were commonly schooners or brigs.
Cutters in the modern Coast Guard are fast, lightly-armed and frequently used in patrol work.
In the U.S. Coast Guard, a "cutter" is a vessel 65 feet (20 m) in length or greater, having adequate accommodations for crew to live on board. Larger cutters, over 180 feet (55 m) in length, are under control of area commands (Atlantic area or Pacific area). Cutters at or under 180 feet in length come under control of district commands. Cutters usually have a motor surf boat and/or a rigid hull inflatable boat on board. Polar Class icebreakers also carry an Arctic survey boat (ASB) and landing craft.
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Other types of sailing vessels