![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Dias_ferry_waterline_2.jpg/640px-Dias_ferry_waterline_2.jpg&w=640&q=50)
Waterline
Line where the hull of a ship meets the surface of the water / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The waterline is the line where the hull of a ship meets the surface of the water.
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A waterline can also refer to any line on a ship's hull that is parallel to the water's surface when the ship is afloat in a level trimmed position. Hence, waterlines are a class of "ships lines" used to denote the shape of a hull in naval architecture lines plans.[1]
The load line (also known as Plimsoll line) is the waterline which indicates the legal limit to which a ship may be loaded for specific water types and temperatures in order to safely maintain buoyancy.[2]
For vessels with displacement hulls, the hull speed is defined by, among other things, the waterline length. In a sailing boat, the waterline length can change significantly as the boat heels, and can dynamically affect the speed of the boat.