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2-1
CHAPTER 2
STABILITY
2-1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the stability of intact ships and how basic stability calculations are made.
Definitions of the state of equilibrium and the quality of stability as they apply to ships are given
in the following paragraphs.
2-1.1 Equilibrium. A ship floating at rest, with or without list and trim, is in static equilibrium;
that is, the forces of gravity and buoyancy are balanced. They are equal and acting in opposite
directions and are in a vertical line with each other.
2-1.2 Stability. Stability is the measure of a ships ability to return to its original position when it
is disturbed by a force and the force is removed. A ship may have any one of three different kinds
of stability, but only one at a time.
2-1.2.1 Positive Stability. If the ship tends to return to its original position after being disturbed
by an external force, it is stable or has positive stability.
2-1.2.2 Negative Stability. If the ship tends to continue in the direction of the disturbing force
after the force is removed, it is unstable or has negative stability.
2-1.2.3 Neutral Stability. A third state, neutral stability, exists when a ship settles in the orienta-
tion it is placed in by the disturbing force. Neutral stability seldom occurs to floating ships, but is
of concern in raising sunken ships because a ship rising through the surface passes through a neu-
tral condition. While the ship is neutrally stable, even a very small disturbing force may cause it to
capsize.
2-2 TRANSVERSE STABILITY
Transverse stability is the measure of a ships ability to return to an upright position after being
disturbed by a force that rotates it around a longitudinal axis. The following paragraphs define the
elements of transverse stability and provide a method to calculate the transverse stability charac-
teristics of a vessel.
2-2.1 Height of the Center of Gravity (KG). One of the primary concerns in transverse stability
is the height of the center of gravity above the keel. This distance is measured in feet. In most
ships, the center of gravity lies between a point six-tenths of the depth above the keel and the main
deck. The position of the center of gravity depends upon the position of weights in the ship and
changes whenever weight is added, removed or shifted. To calculate the height of the center of
gravity, the following steps are necessary:
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a. Classify all the weights in the ship.
b. Determine the height of each weight above the keel.
c. Multiply each weight by the height above the keel to determine the moment of the
weight.
d. Total the weights and the moments of weight.
e. Divide the total of the moments of weight by the total weight to determine the height of
the center of gravity.
EXAMPLE 2-1
CALCULATION OF THE HEIGHT OF THE CENTER OF
GRAVITY (KG)
A ship has the following weights on board:
Material Weight (w) Height above the keel (kg)
Ships structure 2,000 15
Machinery 500 10
Stores 400 20
Fuel 250 5
Cargo 800 14
What is the height of the center of gravity?
A tabular format is convenient for this type of calculation.
Weight Height above keel Moment of Weight
w kg w x kg
2,000 15 30,000
500 10 5,000
400 20 8,000
250 5 1,250
800 14 11,200
Sums 3,950 55,450
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2-3
Height of the center of gravity:
2-2.2 Height of the Center of Buoyancy (KB). The height of the center of buoyancy above the
keel or baseline is another important distance in stability. This distance is measured in feet.
Because the center of buoyancy is the geometric center of the underwater body of the ship, the
height of the center of buoyancy depends upon the shape of the ship. In flat-bottomed full ships,
such as carriers and tankers, the center of buoyancy is lower than in finer lined ships, such as
destroyers or frigates. Calculation of the location of the center of buoyancy for ship shapes is a
lengthy and tedious process. The height of the center of buoyancy is contained in the curves of
form.
When curves of form are not available, estimates sufficient for salvage work may be made as fol-
lows. The height of the center of buoyancy is half the draft for a rectangular barge. In a ships
form, the center of buoyancy lies between 0.53 and 0.58 of the draft. A reasonable first approxi-
mation of the height of the center of buoyancy that is sufficiently accurate for salvage work is
0.55 times the mean draft.
2-2.3 Transverse Metacentric Radius (BM). The transverse metacentric radius is the distance
between the center of buoyancy and the metacenter. Transverse metacentric radius is measured in
feet. It is defined as the moment of inertia around the longitudinal axis of the waterplane at which
the ship is floating divided by the displacement volume.
If the shape of the waterplane is known, the moment of inertia of the waterplane can be defined
exactly. For salvage work, a reasonably accurate approximation may be made by:
I = C
IT
x L x B
3
where:
C
IT
= The transverse inertia coefficient and is equal to C
WP
2
/11.7
L = Length between perpendiculars
B = Beam
KG =
sum of the moments of weight
total weight
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
KG =
55 450 ,
3 950 ,
-------------------
KG = 14.04 feet
BM =
I
V
-------
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The transverse inertia coefficient may also be obtained from Figure 2-1 by entering along the
horizontal scale with the waterplane coefficient, reading up to the curve, then across to the verti-
cal scale.
Figure 2-1. Transverse Inertia Coefficient.
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2-5
EXAMPLE 2-2
CALCULATION OF THE TRANSVERSE METACENTRIC
RADIUS
An FFG-7 Class ship is 408 feet long with a beam of 44 feet and draws 14.5 feet.
Her block coefficient is 0.487 and her waterplane coefficient is 0.754. What is her
transverse metacentric radius (BM)?
a. Determine the transverse inertia coefficient.
b. Calculate the moment of inertia of the waterplane.
l = C
IT
x L x B
3
l = 0.0486 x 408 x (44)
3
l = 1,689,096 feet
4
c. Calculate the displacement volume.
V = C
B
x L x B x T
V = 0.487 x 408 x 44 x 14.5
V = 126,768 feet
3
d. Divide the moment of inertia by displacement volume to determine the trans-
verse metacentric radius.
The value of the metacentric radius derived from the curves of form is 13.4 feet.
The calculated value is sufficiently accurate for salvage work.
C
IT
=
C
WP
2
11.7
------------
C
IT
=
0.754
2
11.7
---------------
C
IT
= 0.0486
BM =
l
V
---
BM =
1 689 096 , ,
126 768 ,
-------------------------- -
BM = 13.32 feet
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NOTE
The expression for transverse inertia coefficient is derived from the
analysis of numerous ships and is a reasonable approximation for
use in salvage. For a vessel or a barge with a rectangular water-
plane (C
WP
= 1.0), an exact calculation is:
2-2.4 Height of the Metacenter (KM). The height of the metacenter is the distance between the
keel and the metacenter. The height of the metacenter is measured in feet. It is the sum of the
height of the center of buoyancy and the metacentric radius, that is:
KM = KB + BM
For an upright ship, the metacenter lies on the same vertical line as the center of buoyancy and the
center of gravity. If the curves of form are available, KM can be determined directly from them.
2-2.5 Metacentric Height (GM). The metacentric height, measured in feet, is the distance
between the center of gravity and the metacenter and is the principal indicator of initial stability.
A ship whose metacenter lies above the center of gravity has a positive metacentric height and is
stable; conversely, a ship with the metacenter below the center of gravity has negative metacentric
height and is unstable. With the distances KB, BM and KG known, GM can be calculated:
GM = KB + BM - KG
and
GM = KM - KG
2-2.6 Righting Arm (GZ). In an upright ship in equilibrium, the forces of gravity and buoyancy
act equally in opposite directions along the vertical centerline. As the center of buoyancy shifts
when the ship heels, these two opposing forces act along parallel lines. The forces and the dis-
tance between them establish the couple which tends to return a stable ship to the upright position.
The righting arm is the distance between the lines of action of the weight acting through the center
of gravity and the force of buoyancy acting through the center of buoyancy at any angle of incli-
nation. Righting arms are measured in feet. Figure 2-2 shows the righting arm for an inclined sta-
ble ship.
I =
L x B
3
( )
12
----------------------
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2-7
The length of the righting arm varies with the angle of inclination. The ratio of the righting arm to
the metacentric height, GZ/GM, is equal to the sine of the angle for any small angle. If the sine of
the angle is represented by Sin , the equation can be written as:
NOTE
The sine is one of three natural functions of angles that are used in
basic naval architectural and salvage calculations. The others are
the tangent and the cosine. A table of these natural functions is
given in Appendix D.
Sin
GZ
GM
--------- =
GZ = GM x Sin
or
Figure 2-2. Righting Arm.
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This equation provides a convenient means of calculating righting arm for small angles of inclina-
tion. At angles of heel greater than about ten to fifteen degrees, the metacenter moves away from
the centerline and the relationship between the metacentric height and righting arm is no longer
exact. The righting arm at large angles of heel can be determined from the statical stability curve
described in Paragraph 2-2.9.
2-2.7 Righting Moment (RM). The righting moment is the couple of the weight and buoyancy
of an inclined ship. This moment acts to return the ship to an upright position. Righting moment is
measured in foot-tons. Because forces creating the couple (the weight and buoyancy of the ship)
are equal, opposite and equal to the displacement, the righting moment is the product of the dis-
placement of the ship and the righting arm or:
RM = W x GZ
The size of the righting moment at any displacement and angle of inclination is a measure of the
ships ability to return to an upright position. As the righting moment at any displacement is
directly proportional to the righting arm, the righting arm may be used as an indicator of stability.
2-2.8 Cross Curves of Stability. The cross curves of stability are a set of curves, each for a dif-
ferent angle of inclination, that show righting arm changes with displacement. A set of cross
curves of stability for the FFG-7 Class ship are shown in Figure 2-3. Note that a particular height
of the center of gravity has been assumed in computing the curves. The importance of this
assumption is explained in Paragraph 2-2.9. To use the cross curves, enter on the horizontal scale
with the displacement of the ship, read up to the curve representing the angle of interest and read
across to the vertical scale to determine the value of the righting arm.
For example, to obtain the righting arm at 3,200 tons displacement at an angle of 30 degrees, enter
the curves of Figure 2-3 along the horizontal scale with 3,200 tons, then:
a. Read up to the intersection with the 30-degree curve.
b. Read across to the vertical scale where it can be seen that the righting arm (GZ) is 1.67
feet.
The principal use of the cross curves of stability is in constructing the curve of statical stability.
2-2.9 The Curve of Statical Stability. The curve of statical stability (or simply the stability
curve) shows righting arm changes as the ship inclines at a particular displacement. Righting arm,
in feet, is plotted on the vertical scale while the angle of inclination, in degrees, is plotted on the
horizontal scale. The curve of statical stability, when plotted and corrected as described below,
will provide the following information:
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2-9
Range of inclination through which the ship is stable (Range of Stability)
Righting arm at any inclination
Righting moment at any inclination
Angle at which maximum righting arm and maximum righting moment occur
Metacentric height.
2-2.9.1 Plotting the Curve of Statical Stability. Figure 2-4 is the curve of statical stability taken
from the cross curves shown in Figure 2-3 for a displacement of 3,200 tons. The curve was con-
structed by:
a. Entering the cross curves along the 3,200-ton displacement line.
b. Reading up to the angle of inclination and across to determine the righting arm for that
angle of inclination and displacement.
c. Repeating the last step for each angle plotted in the cross curves.
d. Plotting the values obtained and drawing the curve.
Figure 2-3. Cross Curves of Stability.
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2-2.9.2 Height of Center of Gravity Correction. The cross curves of stability are calculated for
a particular height of the center of gravity. When the center of gravity has a different height, the
metacentric height and the stability curve change. If the actual center of gravity lies above the
assumed center of gravity, the metacentric height is decreased and the ship is less stable; con-
versely, if the actual center of gravity is below the assumed center of gravity, the metacentric
height is increased and the ship is more stable. The correction at any angle of inclination is the
product of the difference between the actual and assumed heights of the center of gravity and the
sine of the angle of inclination or:
correction = GG
1
x sin
where:
GG
1
is the difference between the actual and assumed heights of the center of gravity.
Thus, if the center of gravity is two feet above the assumed center of gravity, the correc-
tion can be calculated as:
Figure 2-4. Statical Stability Curve.
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2-11
The corrections are plotted to the same scale as the curve of statical stability as shown in Figure
2-5. The corrected curve of statical stability is drawn by plotting the difference between the two
curves as shown in Figure 2-6. If the actual height of the center of gravity is less than the assumed
height, the calculation is done in the same manner, however, the correction curve is plotted below
the horizontal axis as shown in Figure 2-7. The new statical stability curve is again the difference
between the two curves as shown in Figure 2-8.
2-2.9.3 Off-Center Weight Correction. When there is off-center weight and the center of grav-
ity is no longer on the centerline, a list results and there is deterioration in the stability characteris-
tics, including a reduction in righting arm toward the side to which the ship is listing. The
reduction in righting arm is equal to the product of the distance between the new center of gravity
and the centerline times the cosine of the angle of inclination or:
correction = GG
1
x cos
where:
GG
1
is the distance between the centerline and the new position of the center of gravity.
Thus, if the center of gravity is 0.5 feet from the centerline, the correction can be calcu-
lated as:
Angle

Sine of the angle

sin
Height difference
GG
1
Correction
GG
1
sin
0 0 2 0
10 0.174 2 0.35
20 0.342 2 0.68
30 0.500 2 1.00
45 0.707 2 1.41
60 0.866 2 1.73
75 0.965 2 1.93
90 1.000 2 2.00
Angle

Cosine of the angle

cos
Horizontal distance
GG
1
Correction
GG
1
x cos
0 1.000 0.5 0.50
10 0.985 0.5 0.49
20 0.940 0.5 0.47
30 0.866 0.5 0.43
45 0.707 0.5 0.35
60 0.500 0.5 0.25
75 0.259 0.5 0.13
90 0 0.5 0
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Figure 2-5. Correction to Statical Stability Curve, CG is 2 Feet Above Assumed Point.
Figure 2-6. Corrected Statical Stability Curve.
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Figure 2-7. Correction to Statical Stability Curve, CG is 2 Feet Below Assumed Point.
Figure 2-8. Corrected Statical Stability Curve.
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As is done with the height corrections, the off-center weight corrections are plotted to the same
scale as the curve of statical stability. The corrected curve of statical stability is drawn by plotting
the difference between the two curves as shown in Figures 2-9 and 2-10.
The angle at which the corrected curve of statical stability crosses the horizontal axis is the angle
of list caused by the off-center weight.
2-2.9.4 Range of Stability. The range of stability is the number of degrees through which the
ship is stable or the number of degrees through which the ship can heel without capsizing. The
range of stability may be measured directly from the statical stability curve and its limit is the
intersection of the curve and the horizontal axis. For instance:
In Figure 2-4, the uncorrected stability curve, the range of stability is from 0 degrees to
more than 90 degrees.
In Figure 2-6, the stability curve corrected for height of the center of gravity, the range
of stability is from 0 degrees to 77 degrees.
In Figure 2-10, the stability curve corrected for off-center weight, the range of stability
is 20 degrees to 75 degrees.
Figure 2-9. Correction to Statical Stability Curve for Transverse Shift of G.
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2-2.9.5 Righting Arm and Righting Moment. The righting arm at any inclination may be read
directly from the curve. Because each stability curve applies only to a specific displacement, the
righting moment can be obtained directly for any angle by multiplying the righting arm by the dis-
placement. In Figure 2-6, the maximum righting arm is 1.1 feet, the maximum righting moment
is 3,520 foot-tons and the angle where the maximums occur is 51 degrees. Similarly, in Figure 2-
10 the maximum righting arm is 0.83 feet, the maximum righting moment is 2,656 foot-tons and
the angle where the maximums occur is 49 degrees.
2-2.9.6 Metacentric Height. The metacentric height may be obtained directly from the curve of
statical stability by:
a. Erecting a perpendicular to the horizontal axis at 57.3 degrees (one radian)
b. Drawing the tangent to the statical stability curve at the origin.
The intersection of the two lines indicates the metacentric height. In Figure 2-11, the metacentric
height of the ship with stability curve 1 is 3.47 feet and that of the ship with stability curve 2 is
1.47 feet.
2-3 LONGITUDINAL STABILITY
Longitudinal stability is the measure of a ships ability to return to its original position after being
disturbed by a force that rotates it around a transverse axis. Longitudinal stability is important to
refloating operations because changes in the longitudinal stability of a stranded or sunken ship
will not be apparent since the ship does not respond in the same manner as a ship afloat. The
changes must be calculated to ensure salvors have an accurate assessment of the actual longitudi-
nal stability situation.
Figure 2-10. Corrected Statical Stability Curve for Transverse Shift in G.
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2-3.1 Longitudinal Position of Center of Gravity (LCG). The longitudinal position of the cen-
ter of gravity is as important to longitudinal stability as the height of the center of gravity is to
transverse stability. Its position is determined solely by the distribution of weight along the length
of the ship. The longitudinal position of the center of gravity is measured in feet from the mid-
ships section or the forward perpendicular. It is determined in a manner similar to determining the
height of the center of gravity above the keel in that the sum of the moments of the weights about
either the forward perpendicular or the midships section is divided by the total weight to obtain
the desired position. The following steps are necessary:
a. Classify all the weights in the ship.
b. Determine the longitudinal distance of each weight from the reference.
c. Multiply each weight by the longitudinal distance from the reference to determine the
moment of the weight.
d. Total the weights and the moments of weight.
e. Divide the total of the moments of weight by the total weight to determine how far the
longitudinal position of the center of gravity lies from the reference.
Figure 2-11. Metacentric Height from Statical Stability Curves.
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EXAMPLE 2-3
CALCULATION OF THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER OF
GRAVITY
A ship has the following weights on board:
Material Weight (w) Distance from the FP (Icg)
(Long Tons) (Feet)
Ships structure 2,000 225
Machinery 500 210
Stores 400 201
Fuel 250 180
Cargo 800 220
What is the longitudinal position of the center of gravity?
A tabular format is convenient for this type of calculation.
Weight (w) Distance from FP (Icg) Moment of Weight (w x Icg)
(Long Tons) (Feet) (Foot Tons)
2,000 225 450,000
500 210 105,000
400 201 80,400
250 180 45,000
800 220 176,000
Sums 3,950 856,400
2-3.2 Longitudinal Position of the Center of Buoyancy (LCB). The longitudinal position of
the center of buoyancy is measured in feet from either the forward perpendicular or the midships
section. For a ship in equilibrium, the longitudinal position of the center of buoyancy is in the
same vertical line as the longitudinal position of the center of gravity. At any given time, there is
only one point that is the center of buoyancy; the height and longitudinal position are two coordi-
nates of that single point. Determination of the longitudinal position of the center of buoyancy is
lengthy and tedious, requiring calculation of the underwater volume of the ship and its distribu-
tion. The longitudinal position of the center of buoyancy may be obtained from the curves of
Distance of LCG from FP =
sum of the moments of weight
total weight
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -
LCG =
856 400 ,
3 950 ,
-----------------------
LCG = 216.8 feet (or 217 feet) abaft the FP
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form. In salvage, the longitudinal position of the center of buoyancy is important primarily in
making strength calculations when buoyancy must be distributed to place the longitudinal posi-
tions of the centers of gravity and buoyancy in the same vertical line.
2-3.3 Longitudinal Center of Flotation (LCF). The longitudinal center of flotation is the point
about which the ship trims. It is the geometric center of the waterline plane. The longitudinal posi-
tion of the center of flotation is measured in feet from either the midships section or the forward
perpendicular. In ships of normal form, it may lie either forward or aft of the midships section. In
fine-lined ships, the longitudinal center of flotation is usually slightly abaft the midships section.
The longitudinal position of the center of flotation is required to calculate final drafts when trim
changes. It can be calculated if the exact shape of the waterplane is known or it may be obtained
from the curves of form. If the position cannot be obtained, it can be assumed to be amidships.
2-3.4 Longitudinal Metacenter (M
L
). The longitudinal metacenter is an imaginary point of
importance in longitudinal stability. Like the transverse metacenter, it is located where the force
of buoyancys lines of action running through the longitudinal center of buoyancy intersect the
vertical line through the center of buoyancy of the untrimmed ship. While the center of gravity
and the center of buoyancy are points whose heights above the keel and longitudinal position are
two coordinates of the same point, the transverse metacenter and the longitudinal metacenter are
separate points, each with its own set of coordinates.
2-3.5 Longitudinal Metacentric Radius (BM
L
). The longitudinal metacentric radius is the dis-
tance between the center of buoyancy and the longitudinal metacenter. The longitudinal metacen-
tric radius is measured in feet. It is defined as the moment of inertia of the waterline waterplane
about a transverse axis divided by the volume of displacement.
If the shape of the waterplane is known, the moment of inertia of the waterplane can be defined
exactly. For salvage work, a reasonably accurate approximation may be made by:
I
L
= C
IL
x B x L
3
where:
C
IL
= The longitudinal inertia coefficient and is equal to (0.143 x C
WP
- 0.0659)
B = Beam
L = Length between perpendiculars
BM
L
=
I
L
V
----
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2-19
NOTE
The longitudinal inertia coefficient may be obtained directly from
Figure 2-12 by entering along the horizontal scale with the water-
plane coefficient, reading up to the curve and then reading across to
the vertical scale.
Figure 2-12. Longitudinal Inertia Coefficient.
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EXAMPLE 2-4
CALCULATION OF THE LONGITUDINAL METACENTRIC
RADIUS
An FFG-7 Class ship is 408 feet long with a beam of 44 feet and draws 14.5 feet.
Her block coefficient is 0.487 and her waterplane coefficient is 0.754. What is her
longitudinal metacentric radius (BM
L
)?
a. Determine the longitudinal inertia coefficient:
C
IL
= (0.143 x C
WP
- 0.0659)
C
IL
= (0.143 x 0.754 - 0.0659)
C
IL
= 0.0419
b. Calculate the moment of inertia of the waterplane:
I
L
= CIL x B x L
3
I
L
= 0.0419 x 44 x (408)
3
I
L
= 125,212,356 feet
4
c. Calculate the displacement volume:
V = C
B
x L x B x T
V = 0.487 x 408 x 44 x 14.5
V = 126,768 feet
3
d. Divide moment of inertia by displacement volume to get longitudinal metacen-
tric radius:
BM
L
=
l
L
V
----
BM
L
=
125 212 356 , ,
126 768 ,
-------------------------------- -
BM
L
= 987.72 feet (or 988 feet)
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2-3.6 Height of the Longitudinal Metacenter (KM
L
). The height of the longitudinal meta-
center is the distance between the metacenter and the keel and is measured in feet. The height of
the longitudinal metacenter is the sum of the height of the center of buoyancy and the longitudinal
metacentric radius or:
KM
L
= KB + BM
L
where:
KM
L
= The longitudinal height of the metacenter
KB = The height of the center of buoyancy
BM
L
= Longitudinal metacentric radius
2-3.7 Longitudinal Metacentric Height (GML). The longitudinal metacentric height is the dis-
tance between the height of the center of gravity and the longitudinal metacenter measured in feet.
The longitudinal metacentric height is the difference between the longitudinal height of meta-
center and the height of the center of gravity or:
GM
L
= KM
L
- KG
where:
GM
L
= Longitudinal metacentric height
KM
L
= Height of the longitudinal metacenter
KG = Height of the center of gravity
2-3.8 Trim. The quantities necessary for determining trim and how they are used are explained in
the following paragraphs.
2-3.8.1 Trimming Moment. A trimming moment is a moment exerted by a weight anywhere in
the ship acting about the center of flotation. A trimming moment causes the ship to trim or tip,
around the center of flotation. There is no special symbol for trimming moment, though M is con-
venient to use. Trimming moment is measured in foot-tons. For instance, a weight of 25 tons
placed 100 feet forward of the center of flotation would have a trimming moment of 2,500 foot-
tons by the bow. Paragraph 3-2.2.2 provides an example for longitudinal effects of weight addi-
tions and removals.
2-3.8.2 Moment to Change Trim One Inch (MT1). The trimming moment required to cause a
change in trim of one inch (1") is known as the Moment to Change Trim One Inch. The MT1 for
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any ship depends upon the hull form and may be either obtained from the curves of form or calcu-
lated by:
where:
GM
L
= Longitudinal metacentric height
W = Displacement
L = Length between perpendiculars
As the longitudinal metacentric radius, BML, is easily obtained and is not very different from the
longitudinal metacentric height, GML, it is often used to determine an approximate MT1 by:
Additional methods of calculating the approximate moment to change trim one inch can be found
in Appendix C.
EXAMPLE 2-5
CALCULATION OF MOMENT TO TRIM ONE INCH
What is the approximate moment to change trim one inch for the FFG-7 Class
ship described in Example 2-4?
To calculate the approximate moment to trim one inch:
From the calculation in Example 2-4:
BM
L
= 988 feet
L = 408 feet
V = 126,768 cubic feet
MT1 =
GM
L
W ( )
12 L ( )
----------------------------
MT1 =
BM
L
W ( )
12 L ( )
---------------------------
MT1 =
BM
L
W ( )
12 L ( )
---------------------------
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2-23
Displacement can be calculated from displacement volume:
MT1 from the curves of form is 760 foot-tons. The value based on calculation is
within 10 percent of the actual MT1 and is a reasonable approximation for salvage
work.
NOTE
The Greek letter delta () is used in conjunction with symbols to
mean the change in the quantity that the symbol represents.
2-3.8.3 Trim Calculations. In salvage, trim calculations are usually made to determine the
changes in draft fore and aft resulting from a change in trimming moment. The calculation has
three parts:
a. Determination of the trimming moment
b. Determination of the total change of trim by dividing the trimming moment by the
moment to change trim one inch or:
c. Determination of the new drafts. When a ship trims, one end gains draft while the other
end loses draft. For instance, a ship that trims by the bow gains draft at the bow and
loses draft at the stern. The total trim is the sum of the amount gained at one end and
lost at the other. As a ship trims about the center of flotation, the amount of change at
the bow is proportional to the ratio of the product of the change of trim multiplied by
the distance between the forward perpendicular and the center of flotation and the
length of the ship or:
W =
126 768 ,
35
-------------------- -
W = 3,622 tons
then
MT1 =
988 3 622 , ( )
12 408 ( )
-----------------------------------
MT1 = 730.9 foot-tons
trim =
trimming moment
MT1
------------------------------------------------------
T
f
=
trim x (FP to LCF)
L
--------------------------------------------------
2-24
S0300-A6-MAN-010
The new draft forward will be the old draft forward with the change added or subtracted as appro-
priate:
Likewise, the change in trim aft is equal to the ratio of the product of the change of trim multiplied
by the distance between the after perpendicular and the center of flotationand the length of the
ship or:
The new draft aft will be the old draft aft with the change added or subtracted as appropriate:
EXAMPLE 2-6
CALCULATION OF TRIM
The FFG-7 Class ship described in Example 2-5 is floating at a draft both forward
and aft of 14.5 feet. The center of flotation is twenty-five feet abaft the midship
section. A trimming moment of 25,000 foot-tons by the bow is introduced. What
are the new drafts?
The first step, the determination of trimming moments, is not necessary because
that information is already available; i.e., M = 25,000 foot-tons.
To obtain the total change in trim, divide the trimming moment by the moment to
change trim one inch:
Moment to trim one inch is 760 foot-tons from the curves of form; therefore:
New T
f
= Original T
f
+ T
f
T
a
=
trim x (AP to LCF)
L
---------------------------------------------------
New T
a
= Original T
a
+ T
a
trim =
M
MT1
-------------
trim =
25 000 ,
760
------------------
trim = 32.9""
S0300-A6-MAN-010
2-25
To obtain the new draft forward, determine the distance from the FP to the LCF:
then
To obtain the new draft aft, determine the distance from the AP to the LCF:
then
A method to check the accuracy of the draft calculations is to add the change in
FP to LCF =
L
2
----- + 25
FP to LCF =
408
2
---------- + 25
FP to LCF = 229
T
f
=
trim x (FP to LCF)
L
--------------------------------------------------
T
f
=
32.9 229
408
-------------------------
T
f
= 18.5 , or 1 6.5
New T
f
= Old T
f
+ T
f
New T
f
= 14 6 + 1 6.5
New T
f
= 16 0.5
AP to LCF =
L
2
---- - - 25
AP to LCF =
408
2
---------- - 25
AP to LCF = 179
T
a
=
trim x (AP to LCF)
L
---------------------------------------------------
T
a
=
32.9 179
408
-------------------------
T
a
= 14.5 , or 1 2.4
New T
a
= Old T
a
+ T
a
New T
a
= 14 6 + 1 2.4
New T
a
= 13 3.6
2-26
S0300-A6-MAN-010
draft forward and the change in draft aft and compare the result with the total
change in trim. These quantities should be equal. In the previous example the
total change in trim was 32.9 inches.
Since the sum of the draft changes is equal to the total change in trim, the calcula-
tion was performed correctly.
T
f
= 18.5
T
a
=
14.5
32.9
-------------