According to The Antique and Classic Boat Society, an antique boat is one that was built between 1919 and 1942, whilst a classic boat is a boat built between 1943 and 1975. However, the terms antique and classic may be used more loosely to simply refer to old boats or those built in an older style regardless of the actual age.
The hulls of antique/classic sailing boats were often constructed from wood, before modern materials such as GRP became available. The sails were generally made from cotton, linen or hemp. However, modern sailing boats built in the style of an antique/classic sailing boat may use modern material to give the benefits of the classic styling with improved durability and performance.