Draught

Draught is the vertical distance from a vessel’s waterline to its lowest underwater point, typically the keel, rudder, propeller, or drive leg. It indicates how deep the boat sits in the water and the minimum water depth needed before allowing a safe under-keel clearance.

Knowing your draught is essential for entering harbours, crossing bars, anchoring, using canals, and planning routes through shoal water. Skippers compare draught with charted depths, tide height, and seabed clearance, using references such as the Waterline, Keel, and Chart Datum to avoid grounding and protect the hull and appendages.

Draught changes with loading, fuel, water, crew, stores, ballast, and trim, so the figure in a manual may not match the boat underway. PredictWind tidal tools and Departure Planning can help time shallow entrances and passages when sufficient depth and favourable conditions are available.