light draft

American  

noun

Nautical.

1. the draft of a vessel at its light displacement.

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Etymology

Origin of light draft

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Sarah Carmean, who enjoyed a light draft at Boomtown, lamented with service-industry employees missing tips or hours.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2025

Within their embrace was a more or less safe anchorage for light draft craft.

From The Heart of Unaga by Cullum, Ridgwell

In the meantime, the light draft Russian gun-boats came down the river, and began to fire shell and shot at a long range at the small town and fortifications of Sulina.

From Sketches From My Life By The Late Admiral Hobart Pasha by Hobart-Hampden, Augustus Charles

The Bush River is at the far end of the Michaelville range and it is navigable for craft of light draft at high tide.

From Poisoned Air by Meek, S. P. (Sterner St. Paul)

Forts Fisher, Caswell, and Smith afford abundant protection 303 to the light draft steamers as soon as they get into the shoal water where our gunboats as a rule cannot follow them.

From A Victorious Union by Optic, Oliver