This questions comes from Charles Curry, a Cruisers’ Net reader who, after following a number of threads concerning various passageways and anchorages on the West Coast, is perplexed by the common use the phrase “shallow draft vessels should have no problem.” While 4ft seems generally to be the demarcation between shallow and deep draft, is “shallow draft” the same for a trawler as for a sailing vessel? Our reader would like more opinions as to the meaning of the draft terms, hopefully arriving at a standardized measurement. Can you help?

And here is an article to whet your thinking process:

Shoall Draft Vs Deep Draft

Any trawler that draws more than four feet puts its owner at a disadvantage in America’s most popular cruising grounds. Gunkholing becomes a chore. Anchoring means sharing waters crowded with sailboats while shallower spots lie empty. Worst of all, when the sky threatens, the deep-draft boys will find far fewer harbors of refuge to accommodate them. Do not believe the argument that deep draft is safer; deep draft does not equal stability.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE from Great Harbor Trawlers