waterway

A navigable body of water, such as a river, channel, or canal.

A channel at the edge of a ship's deck to drain away water.

A channel or passage of water; a water-route; specifically, that part of a river, arm of the sea, or the like through which vessels enter or depart; the fairway.

In ship-building, a name given to the thick planks at the outside of the deck, worked over the ends of the beams, and fitting against the inside of the top-timbers, to which, as well as to the ends of the beams, they are bolted, thus forming an important binding.

Heavy plank or timber extending fore and aft the whole length of a vessel's deck at the line of junction with the sides, forming a channel to the scuppers, which are cut through it. In iron vessels the waterway is variously constructed.