Draught
The vertical distance from a vessel’s waterline to its lowest immersed point.
Also spelled “draft” in American English, draught may be measured forward, aft or at another stated position, with mean draught derived from specified readings. The lowest point may be a keel, propeller, rudder, drive leg or other projection rather than the hull shell alone.
Draught changes with displacement, trim, heel, water density and dynamic effects. It is used with available depth and required under-keel clearance, but a deeper draught does not automatically mean a lower centre of gravity, greater stability or poorer efficiency.
Terms with the same meaning:
Draft
