How to Measure a Sailboat
Open any sailing magazine and you will find a list of dimensions, usually ab-
breviated, alongside sailboat designs.These are the terms you use in describ-
ing the length, depth, and width of a sailboat.
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LOA
LOA stands for length overall. This is the total length of the boat from the bow to the end of the stern in a straight line. LOA does not include the bowsprit (if your boat has one), which is a pole that extends beyond the bow of a boat. When you rent or buy a sailboat, LOA is a very common specification—as common as MPG is to a car shopper.
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LWL
LWL is the load waterline length, or simply waterline length. This is the straight-line distance from the point where the bow emerges from the water to the point where the stern emerges from the water. Sailors need to know the LWL when calculating the potential speed of a sailboat.
Draft
Draft is the vertical distance from the water surface to the deepest part of the boat (the bottom of the keel). This measurement will tell you where you can and cannot sail. If your boat touches bottom in 3 feet of water, its draft is 3 feet. Stated differently, your boat draws 3 feet. When you ask a marina for a slip to rent you will probably be asked, “How much does your boat draw?”You will also be asked the LOA of your boat, because slip fees are calculated in dollars per foot.
Instead of a keel, some boats have a centerboard—a relatively thin panel made out of wood, fiberglass, or metal that can be raised or lowered to change the draft of the boat. In this case, you might hear someone describe the boat as having two drafts: “My boat draws 6 inches with the board up and 4 feet with the board down.”
