Which term describes the vertical distance from the waterline to the deck on a ship?

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Freeboard is the vertical distance from the waterline up to the deck. This measurement shows how much of the hull sits above the water and how much deck clearance there is, which is important for safety in rough seas and for accommodating deck gear and crew activities. Draft, on the other hand, is how deep the hull sits below the waterline, essentially the distance from the waterline to the bottom of the hull. Beam is the ship’s width at its widest point, and the keel is the bottom-most structural line running along the hull’s center. So the term that describes the vertical distance from the waterline to the deck is freeboard.