When you know your draught (or draft) from your displacement and that the length overall is not the overall length of the yacht including pulpits and bowsprits, you can start using these figures to help you make an informed decision.
How to choose a boat – yacht measurements explained
There’s a standard set of specifications that appear in boatbuilders’ sales brochures and on yachtbrokers’ websites: LOA, LWL, displacement, sail area, ballast ratio, D/L, SA/D and so on. Most buyers rely on these to some extent, to read between the lines of the marketing literature, but the figures quoted aren’t actually as clear cut as most people think, and some of them are often misconstrued.
