Question 1806 Deck Safety

The correct answer is A) waterline. For an upright vessel, the draft is the vertical distance between the keel (the lowest part of the hull) and the waterline (the line where the vessel's hull meets the surface of the water). This is the accepted definition of draft in naval architecture and ship operations. The other options are incorrect because: B) amidships section is not related to the definition of draft, C) the Plimsoll mark indicates the maximum safe loading line, and D) the freeboard deck is the uppermost continuous deck exposed to the weather.