Freeboard

Freeboard is the vertical distance between a vessel’s waterline and the deck edge, gunwale, or lowest point where water could enter the hull. It indicates how much of the hull remains above the surface when the boat is loaded and floating normally.

For boaters, freeboard affects reserve buoyancy, deck dryness, comfort, and safety in rough conditions. Reduced freeboard from heavy loading, fuel, water, crew, or cargo can increase the chance of green water on deck and downflooding. Assess it alongside Waterline, Sea State, and Wave Height when planning coastal or offshore passages.

Freeboard is closely related to draught, displacement, hull form, and stability. PredictWind wave forecasts, Weather Routing, and Departure Planning help you avoid conditions where low freeboard, breaking seas, or beam-on waves could make a passage uncomfortable or unsafe.