The overall length of a sailboat includes the bowsprit and stern, but may exclude the bowsprit for certain purposes. LOA is the most common measurement, but LWL is more accurate for determining performance. The total length of a ship may vary depending on location and purpose of measurement.
When discussing the total length of a sailboat or any type of surface vessel, the measurement includes more than the length of the vessel’s usable space. Both accessories in the bow in the form of a bowsprit and the stern or rudder of the ship must be measured and taken into account when calculating the overall length of any ship. In some cases, the length of the boat from end to end at the waterline where the boat contacts or sits in the water is known as the overall length of the boat. Often synonymous with berthing length or mooring length, this measurement is commonly referred to as the measurement of the ship’s hull.
Commonly known as LOA, the measurement is the most common to refer to the size of a ship. When compared to the length of the hull dimension (LOH), the overall length can be much greater than the LOH measurement of any vessel. The measurement loaded at the waterline (LWL) can be and often is much less than the overall length, especially on sailboats where a bowsprit may be used at the bow of the boat. When LOA is used to define berthing costs, LWL is a more accurate method of determining a ship’s performance when loaded.
Depending on the purpose of the measurement, the overall length of a sailboat may exclude the length of the bowsprit. If the boat to be transported on a truck is being measured and transported on a highway, the length of the bowsprit can be included to fit precisely behind the truck on a trailer. However, if the ship is simply being measured for storage at a berth or mooring location, the measurement of the bowsprit can be excluded, and only the dimensions of the ship’s hull can be factored into the cost. When bowsprit is included, the terminology to define overall length measurement is often called lashed length, which is overall length including bowsprit and mooring length.
On some smaller vessels, overall length refers only to usable deck space or hull space. In the case of a submarine, the total measurement from the tip of the bow to the tip of the rudder or the center of the propeller is used to determine the overall length of the vessel. Arriving at the correct total length of a ship may be conditioned by the part of the world in which the ship is measured, as well as the individual purpose of the measurement.
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