Can someone finally tell me what draft I have?

[thinwater]

Depends on the boat I suppose.


On my PDQ...

• They are all secured open with a hook latch and rubber bumper.
• They are small enough that they never got in the way.
• A bathroom with a shower really begs for a good door... if you have a family.
• And so do the bedrooms! And not just for what you think; boats are small and longer cruises put a premium on alone time, if just to read.
• Heat and AC, as others have mentioned.
• Multihull, so less heel to make them swing.

The keys to success are:

• Narrow. Less space, less to bang if not secured. Yup, no two-way traffic, get over it.
• Rounded corners. Everything on a boat, really.
• Good latch both open and closed.
• Nothing behind them that is accessed frequently.

On a race boat, priorities are different. On a smaller boat there may not be space. As for open shelving, I'm not a fan in most cases, even on small boats.

[aqfishing]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Depends on the boat I suppose.


On my PDQ...

• They are all secured open with a hook latch and rubber bumper.
• They are small enough that they never got in the way.
• A bathroom with a shower really begs for a good door... if you have a family.
• And so do the bedrooms! And not just for what you think; boats are small and longer cruises put a premium on alone time, if just to read.
• Heat and AC, as others have mentioned.
• Multihull, so less heel to make them swing.

The keys to success are:

• Narrow. Less space, less to bang if not secured. Yup, no two-way traffic, get over it.
• Rounded corners. Everything on a boat, really.
• Good latch both open and closed.
• Nothing behind them that is accessed frequently.

On a race boat, priorities are different. On a smaller boat there may not be space. As for open shelving, I'm not a fan in most cases, even on small boats.

Yes, but what about the draft?

[BugzyCan]

I would think the best measurement would be at anchor, check depth, then go in water and measure from bottom of keel to bottom. Then you know when you will hit, not some other number estimate.

[Cadence]

I have a Sun Fish my draft is 6" board up and 1'6" board down. Makes as much sense as some responses. Yep, I'm a crotchety old bastard.
There were a couple of sensible responses. From the pic it shouldn't be a question.
I sometimes wonder about people with no common sense being on the water.
How many people did I piss off?

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I love the wry humor of running her aground. That was my first thought on such a question when she is on the hard. Gee the ground might not be level. Don't use the ant hill on the starboard side as a datum.

No humor intended, but sure you can laugh and I won't be offended. Around here, the mud is so soft, and it is very level, so you can hardly tell when you are actually "aground" as the boat still moves, making a groove that can be seen later at low tide.

[David B]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

I have a 2011 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 and to this day I still don't know what draft I have...

According to Sailboat Data:

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/su...y-409-jeanneau

My draft is:
Draft (max): 6.89 ft / 2.10 m
OR...
Shoal draft: 1.55m/5.09'

Marina friends tell me that there's no way that my draft is almost 7 feet... but, I also don't think it's 5 feet. See photo attached...

What say ye?

Attachment 226228

So once you measure the draft from waterline (as evidenced by watermark, not the paint or manufacturers moulded mark) to bottom of keel with a tape measure or non-stretch cord, find a nice calm day, a nice flat and hard shallow bottom, and with a leadline, measure the depth. Then calibrate your depth sounder if needed, then off-set your depth sounder by your measured draft. Now you know your draft, and the depth, and when your keel should be brushing the bottom.

The number of times I have been very glad of that confidence in knowing when the sounder says 0.1 metres, I am OK, is significant - from getting into a channel, to getting fuel, to knowing a marina berth will be OK.

Important stuff.

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by David B

The number of times I have been very glad of that confidence in knowing when the sounder says 0.1 metres, I am OK, is significant - from getting into a channel, to getting fuel, to knowing a marina berth will be OK.
Important stuff.

Another proof that English system of measurement is more practical. My depth sounder reads in tenths of a foot, not tenths of a meter - so I get three times the precision in my readings compared to you.

We spent a good hour finding our way over a mud bottom into the lagoon in Placencia, Belize. Very shallow for a very long way, but that's where the marinas are. Finally got through the shallow part with about 0.3 feet to spare under the keel and glad we were reading in feet not meters. Also glad for my shoal draft of only 5'6" on our 46' boat.

[David B]

Originally Posted by waterman46

Another proof that English system of measurement is more practical. My depth sounder reads in tenths of a foot, not tenths of a meter - so I get three times the precision in my readings compared to you.

We spent a good hour finding our way over a mud bottom into the lagoon in Placencia, Belize. Very shallow for a very long way, but that's where the marinas are. Finally got through the shallow part with about 0.3 feet to spare under the keel and glad we were reading in feet not meters. Also glad for my shoal draft of only 5'6" on our 46' boat.

Well I guess it's Monday afternoon, and a good time for a bit of humour .

Most of the world understands the metric system as far more logical and precise and I agree with that, but each to their own and not sure of your logic. A foot is smaller than a metre, but a centimetre is smaller than an inch, and after inches we have 1/2", 1/4", 1/8", 1/16", 1/32", 1/64" etc. Down there, I will happily stay with mm

Your 0.3 feet by the way, is my 0.1 metre - or to be a little more precise, 3 and 15/16" inches. I like my 0.1 metre (or 10 centimetres, or 100 milimetres) a whole lot more .

[David B]

Originally Posted by waterman46

No humor intended, but sure you can laugh and I won't be offended. Around here, the mud is so soft, and it is very level, so you can hardly tell when you are actually "aground" as the boat still moves, making a groove that can be seen later at low tide.

Sounds like to mud leading to one of our favourite anchorages in the Med (Certosa) - also like the mud in the marina we ploughed through to get out at the top of the Adriatic, or to get fuel at a delightful little village in Italy. Soft mud is good, and also good is that the depth sounder still sees it.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Good call on the transducer reading and offset. Definitely needs to be calibrated. I felt like I brushed the sand a couple of times this past Summer despite the reading being 1.5-2.0. But I was under the impression that 0.0 is still below my keel (i.e. the offset is the draft).

[merrydolphin]

1. By the photo, you are definitely closer to 7 that 5! And

2. I agree with several that you can do as I have done many times. Go gently aground on a RISING tide, and measure with a lead line or makeshift one. Ideally in calm conditions and a sand bottom or non-rocky, but preferably not oooosey soft bottom either. As an instructor, I end up on a lot of other peoples boats and they are usually quite novice. This is a good thing to help them establish. The exact number isn’t that important and as has been said changes with load anyway. But you should know for navigation within a few inches anyway.

[BeerMonkey]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

I agree... right??? The guy is a little shorter than me and I'm 6-foot even. I think the actual keel is less than 6 feet, but the actual DRAFT is 7 foot, since the water level goes up to the top of the blue paint (as in photo).




Haha... very true! Good point. But it's hard to use tape measure to the water line when the boat is NOT in the water and the bottom of the keel is NOT touching the ground. But you're right, a tape measure would help.

But, also... the tape measure would have to be vertical, otherwise the angle would distort the distance/length.



Good call! But it wasn't on the hard... they just pulled it for a powerwash and then threw her back in the water immediately.

But yeah... it's tough to get a straight, truthful reading.

You sound like you'd be a danger to yourself and others if you were let loose with a tape measure....

[Mickeyrouse]

If you’re really concerned about measurement accuracy use a plumb bob- just like the ancient Egyptians. Let the bob rest on the ground and measure the distance on the bob to the waterline. Mark the bob string with tape masking tape and measure tip of bob to tape. A couple bolts will work for a plum bob- or buy one.

[aqfishing]

I Really do not understand...

1: Why people feel the need to know their draft to within less than half an inch, when in fact their draft differs all the time based on fuel, water and other loads. Even the number of people onboard. Then theres wave and swell action! Not to mention that you should have a safety margin, of more than an inch I would think!!!

2: Why on earth would you run your boat aground to work out your draft??? There are soooo many different ways. They don’t all involve taking the boat out the water.

[ogalili]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

I have a 2011 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 and to this day I still don't know what draft I have...

According to Sailboat Data:

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/su...y-409-jeanneau

My draft is:
Draft (max): 6.89 ft / 2.10 m
OR...
Shoal draft: 1.55m/5.09'

Marina friends tell me that there's no way that my draft is almost 7 feet... but, I also don't think it's 5 feet. See photo attached...

What say ye?

Attachment 226228

Here is a idea. Sail toward shore. Once you are grounded you can measure the water level and know your draft. Wait for high tide and sail away... just kidding
If the boat is out just measure from the water line to ground....