Dry Weight

Dry weight is the weight of a boat as built and supplied, before fuel, freshwater, crew, passengers, provisions, safety gear, tender, personal equipment or cargo are added. It is usually a manufacturer’s baseline figure and may include engines, batteries and standard fittings, but inclusions vary, so always check the specification.

For boaters, dry weight is the starting point for calculating real operating weight. Added load changes Displacement, can increase Draft, reduce freeboard, alter trim, and affect acceleration, range and Fuel Consumption. It also matters when selecting a trailer, arranging a lift, checking marina limits, or assessing whether a vessel is overloaded before a passage.

When using PredictWind routing tools, treat dry weight as a baseline rather than the weight your boat will sail or motor at. A realistic loaded condition gives better expectations for speed, comfort and routing decisions, especially when combined with Weather Routing and performance data from your vessel.