[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 46, Volume 4]

[Revised as of October 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 46CFR97.40-10]



[Page 77-78]

 

                            TITLE 46_SHIPPING



                  (This book contains parts 90 to 139)

 

   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)

 

PART 97_OPERATIONS--Table of Contents

 

                    Subpart 97.40_Markings on Vessels

 

Sec.  97.40-10  Draft marks and draft indicating systems.



    (a) All vessels must have draft marks plainly and legibly visible 

upon the stem and upon the sternpost or rudderpost or at any place at 

the stern of the vessel as may be necessary for easy observation. The 

bottom of each mark must indicate the draft.

    (b) The draft must be taken from the bottom of the keel to the 

surface of the water at the location of the marks.

    (c) In cases where the keel does not extend forward or aft to the 

location of the draft marks, due to raked stem or cut away skeg, the 

datum line from which the draft shall be taken shall be obtained by 

projecting the line of the bottom of keel forward or aft, as the case 

may be, to the location of the draft marks.

    (d) In cases where a vessel may have a skeg or other appendage 

extending locally below the line of the keel, the



[[Page 78]]



draft at the end of the vessel adjacent to such appendage shall be 

measured to a line tangent to the lowest part of such appendage and 

parallel to the line of the bottom of the keel.

    (e) Draft marks must be separated so that the projections of the 

marks onto a vertical plane are of uniform height equal to the vertical 

spacing between consecutive marks.

    (f) Draft marks must be painted in contrasting color to the hull.

    (g) In cases where draft marks are obscured due to operational 

constraints or by protrusions, the vessel must be fitted with a reliable 

draft indicating system from which the bow and stern drafts can be 

determined.



[CGFR 65-50, 30 FR 17011, Dec. 1965, as amended by CGD 89-037, 57 FR 

41823, Sept. 11, 1992]