Naut. The line of floatation of a ship when she has her full cargo on board. (Called also † load-water-mark, load-line, and Plimsoll’s mark.) Hence load-water-draught, -length, -section (see quots.).
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), D 1 a. The line which determines her depth under the water is usually termed the load-water-line. Ibid., D j b. The load-water-mark.
1862. Q. Rev., April, 570. Admitting that she is now sunk three or four feet below her proper loadwater-line.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Load water-section, a horizontal section at the load water-line in the shipbuilder’s draught.
1887. Daily News, 28 Sept., 5/1. The Thistle has a load-water length of 86ft. 4in.
1895. Funk’s Stand. Dict., Load-water, pertaining to a loaded vessel; as, load-water draft.
1897. Outing (U.S.), XXX. 336/1. By halving the sum of load-water-line length and the square root of the sail-area.
