The British English spelling of draft, referring to the depth of water a vessel draws. Draught is critical for port entry, canal transit, and safe navigation in shallow waters.
Category: Navigation & Seamanship
On The Maritime
The desks where this concept is measured.
In the Glossary
Draught
The vertical distance from the waterline to the bottom of the keel: how deep the ship sits in the water.
Read the full explanation in the GlossaryRelated terms
More in Navigation & Seamanship
CourseThe intended horizontal direction of travel measured as an angle from north.Course Over GroundThe actual direction of a vessel's movement over the earth's surface, as determined by GPS or other positioning systems.Dead ReckoningA method of estimating a vessel's current position by advancing a known position using the course steered, speed through the water, and time elapsed.ECDISElectronic Chart Display and Information System, a computer-based navigation system that complies with IMO regulations and can be used as an alternative to paper nautical charts.Great CircleThe shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere, formed by the intersection of the sphere with a plane passing through its center.HeadingThe direction in which a vessel's bow is pointed at any given moment, measured in degrees from north.
Back to DictionaryEntry updated May 2026