Lines and plans

Course no. 2

Ships base plans

The ships hull is a long body restricted from above, below and
sides by the complicated curved surfaces.
To make various shipbuilding calculations it is necessary to
determine the base plans and main measurements.
The sections of the hull by three reciprocal perpendicular plans
give the general idea of the ship contour.

Base plans (1)

There are three base plans from which we can measure ships linear
dimensions.
1.The diametric plan, is the longitudinal- vertical plan of symmetry of the
vessel which divides it into two sides.

Base plans (2)

The starboard side is the right side, facing the front of the ship, while the
port side is the left.

Centerline

The longitudinal axis of the vessel (centerline) is the intersection of the

diametrical plan with the horizontal plan that passes through the center
of the gravity.

Center of the gravity

Base plans (3)

2. Waterlines plan is the horizontal plan defined by ships surface
floating on calm water.

Base plans (4)

Waterlines plan divides the ship afloat in two parts: emersion parts (above
the water) called upper (dead) works, and the immerse part (below the
water), called the quick works.

Waterline is the hull intersection with the waterlines plan area. After each
loading or unloading of the ship, there are various lines and floating
plans, the maximum being at full load situation.

Base plans (5)

3. Amidships plan is the maximum cross section width of the hull
obtained by intersection with a plan perpendicular to the baseline.

Base plans (6)

The part of the ship in the front of amidships is the bow and
the rear of a vessel is the stern.

Base line (bottom line) is straight its upper keel.

Ships Keel

Main types of keel

 Every vessel has a designed seagoing trim where the baseline is

drawn parallel to the designed summer load waterline.

On a merchant ship, the designed loaded sea going trim is even

keel (draughts forward and aft are the same and the keel
corresponds to the baseline).

 Smaller vessels are more likely to have rake in the keel (sloping
from forward to aft) so that when floating at the designed sea
going trim, the after draught will usually be greater than the
forward draught.

Terminology
From the centerline of the ship toward either port or starboard
side is outboard and from either side toward the centerline is
inboard.

However, there is a variation in the use of outboard and inboard

when a ship is on berth (moored to a pier). The side against the
pier is referred to as being inboard; the side away from the pier
as outboard.

Terminology
When you move toward the bow, you are going forward,
when the vessel is moving forward, it is going ahead
When you move toward the stern, you are going aft, when
the ship moves in that direction it is going astern

Ships line plans (1)

Line plans are drawings of ships showing the three-dimensional ship
displayed in two-dimensional cuts.
The sheer plan shows the buttock lines of a ship in the dimensions x-z.
Longitudinal sections are curves obtained by the intersection of the hull
with plans parallel to the diametric plan.

Ships line plans (2)

The body plan shows the transverse sections of a ship in the

dimensions y-z.
Cross sections are curves obtained by the intersection of the hull with
the plans parallel to the amidships .

Ships line plans (3)

The half-breadth plan shows the half horizontal sections (waterline
plans) in the dimensions x-y.
Horizontal sections are curves obtained by the intersection of the hull
with the plans parallel to the waterlines plan, and they are called the
waterline.

Projection of ships lines

Half-breadth Plan
3

Body Plan

2
1
Sheer Plan

Ships line plans