You are reading the draft marks as shown in illustration D032DG. The water level forward is at the top of the 8, and the mean water level aft is at the top of the 8. What is the mean draft?

Correct Answer: Option B — 8'06"

Draft marks on standard merchant vessels measure 6 inches in height with 6-inch spacing between numbers. When the water level rests at the top of an 8-inch mark, accounting for the scale layout on illustration D032DG yields a mean draft of 8 feet 6 inches.