freeboard (frebord)

Naut., the part of the side of a ve el or boat which lies between the line of flotation and the upper side of the deck (or a point corresponding to it), or, when there are several decks, of the uppermost watertight deck. To allow a sufficient margin for heeling and for rough water, the free - board in sailing canoes is seldom le than six inches, and will often be found to be eight inches. Qualtrough, Boat Sailer's Manual, p. 150. When I say monitors I refer to ve els with high freeboards.. The reason I say high free - boards is that such ve els might be able to go to sea at any moment, regardle of the weather. N. A. Rev., CXXVII. 378.