Watercraft

A vessel or vehicle designed to travel on, in, or across water. Watercraft range from human-powered boats to large ships and specialized underwater vehicles.

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Hull (watercraft): The watertight body of a vessel, which displaces water and supports its structure. Hull shape determines a watercraft’s capacity, stability, and movement through water.
Cargo ship: A merchant vessel built to carry freight across waterways and oceans. Cargo ships are watercraft specialized for moving bulk goods and containers.
Dugout canoe: A boat made by hollowing out a single tree trunk. Dugout canoes are among the oldest known forms of purpose-built watercraft.
Aircraft: A vehicle designed to travel through the atmosphere. Aircraft move through air, unlike watercraft designed for aquatic environments.
Maritime trade: The exchange of goods transported by sea or other navigable waterways. Watercraft made long-distance bulk trade possible at scales difficult to achieve over land.
Buoyancy: The upward force a fluid exerts on an immersed object. Buoyancy lets a watercraft float when its displacement balances its weight.
Fishing vessel: A vessel equipped to catch, process, or transport fish and other aquatic organisms. Fishing vessels adapt hulls and equipment to particular fisheries and working conditions.
Polynesian navigation: The traditional system of wayfinding used by Pacific peoples to navigate vast ocean distances. Ocean-going watercraft enabled settlement across the Pacific using detailed environmental knowledge.
Amphibious vehicle: A vehicle designed to travel on both land and water. Amphibious vehicles cross between environments rather than serving only as watercraft.
Naval warfare: Armed conflict conducted primarily by naval forces and vessels. Specialized warships turned watercraft into instruments of state power and conflict.