What does the term "draft" refer to in boating?

The term "draft" in boating specifically refers to the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull, which indicates how deep the boat is submerged in the water. Understanding draft is crucial for safe navigation, as it determines the minimum water depth needed to prevent the boat from running aground. A boat with a larger draft may need deeper waters to operate safely, while a boat with a shallower draft can navigate in shallower areas.

The other definitions in the choices represent different aspects of a boat's measurements, but they do not capture the meaning of draft. The total weight a boat can carry pertain to its payload capacity, the maximum height from the waterline refers to the boat's overall height yet does not involve how deep it sits in the water, and the distance from the bow to the stern describes the length of the boat, which is unrelated to draft.