Definitions of the following Stability Key Points and their Respective Formulas

AP – After Perpendicular, this is the vertical line of reference that coincides with

the after edge of the stern post or, if no post, then the turning axis of the rudder.

Aft Perpendicular is taken at the aft side of the rudder post as you see the

image above, also the Forward Perpendicular vertical line intersects the summer

load water line.

FP – Forward Perpendicular, this is the vertical line of reference that intersects

the summer load water line at the forward edge of the stern. The imaginary

perpendicular line is called the Forward Perpendicular. For most hydrostatic

calculations , the FP is used as the forward reference of the hull.

LBP – Length between Perpendiculars is the length of a ship along the waterline

from the forward surface of the stem, or main bow perpendicular member, to the

after surface of the sternpost, or main stern perpendicular member .

 LBP is the horizontal distance the forward and after perpendicular that is the

length that is considered when conducting trim calculation.

LWL – Waterline Length, is the length of a ship or boat at the level where it sits in

the water. Traditionally, a stripe called the “Boot Top” is painted around the hull

just above the waterline.

LOA – Length Overall, it is the horizontal distance between the after most part

and forward most part of the ship. It is also considered as the maximum length of

a vessel’s hull measured parallel to the water line.

This length is important while docking the ship. It is commonly used way of

expressing the size of the ship, and is also used for calculating the cost of a

berth. LOA is usually measured on the hull alone.

AMIDSHIP – It is the midpoint between the Forward and Aft perpendiculars. It is

not the midpoint in the length of the ship. On other terms, In or toward the part of

the ship midway between bow and stern.

BREADTH – The moulded breadth is the distance between the outer faces of the

frame, while registered breath measured outside of the platting. It also the

maximum breadth of the ship, measured amidships to the moulded line of the

frame in a ship with a metal shell and to outer surface of the hull in a ship with a

shell of any other material.

BML – Is the height of the longitudinal meta center above the center of buoyancy

and is found for any shape of vessel by the formula: BML = I L/V

BMT - Transverse Meta centric Radius is the vertical distance between the center

of buoyancy and the meta center. This distance is termed a radius because for

small heel angles, the locus of successive centers of buoyancy approximates a

circular arc, with the transverse meta center as its center.

Meta centric radius is equal to the moment of inertia of the water plane about

its longitudinal centerline (transverse moment of inertia, IT) divided by the

underwater volume of the hull.

For a rectangular water plane,

And,

Where,

If the water plane shape can be accurately defined, the moment of inertia can be

determined by numerical integration.

BILGE – It is the lowest part of a ship where the bottom curves up to meet the

sides just like the image above. The water that collects there is also called bilge.

Since Bilge is dirty and smelly the word is also slang for “nonsense.” On a large

ship, some water inevitably ends up in the part that’s below the water line, the

bilge.
CB – The Block Coefficient of a ship a is the ratio of under water volume of a ship

to the volume of circumscribing block.

 It is the ratio of the underwater volume of ship to the volume of a

rectangular block having the same overall length, breadth and depth. Let us say

a vessel has a draft equal to 'd' meters.

CAMBER – The camber is a measure of lateral main deck curvature in naval

architecture. The curve is applied to a deck transversely, measured as the height

of deck at center line above the height of deck at side. The practice of adding

camber to a ship's deck originated in the era of small sailing ships.

The athwarships crown of a vessel deck. It is usually ¼ inch to the foot. A

protected area for small boat.

F - The standard definition of Floating was first given by Archimedes and goes

something like this: “An object in a fluid experiences an upward force equal to the

weight of the fluid displaced by the object.” So if a boat weighs 1,000 Kgs , it will

sink into the water until it has displaced 1,000 kilograms of water.

If the boat weighs less than the maximum volume of water it could ever

push aside (displace), it floats. But it sinks into the water until its weight and the

up thrust exactly balance. In other words, if the boat weighs more than the total

volume of water it can push aside (displaces), it sinks.

LCF – Longitudinal Centre of Floatation, This is at the geometric centre of a ship

water plane area and is the point abort which the ship will turn. The point about

which the vessel tips and trims. It can be referred to as the tipping centre. It is the

centroid (the centre of gravity of the water plane area).

B – Center of Buoyancy of a ship is defined as at the geometric centre of the

underwater volume of the ship at a particular instant and is the point through

which the total buoyancy force considered to act vertically upwards.

G (Center of Gravity) of a ship may be defined as being the point where the total

weight force (Wf) of the ship is considered to act vertically downwards.

M ( Initial Traverse Mete centre (M) – is define as the point of intersection of

successive lines of action of buoyancy force when the ship is the initial upright

condition and subsequently heeled condition.

K - Keel the base line reference point from which all other reference point

measured are compared.

Depth – the depth by American Bureau of Shipping Rules is from the top aft the

keel to the top of the deck beam at the side of the freeboard deck.

Draught – is the distance from the keel to the waterline (Wl), as measured at the

forward ends of the ship.

W – Ships Displacement or what you call displacement tonnage is the weight of

the water that a ship pushes a side when it is floating , which in turn is the weight

of the ship. It is usually applied to naval vessels rather than commercial ones,

and is measured when the ship’s fuel tanks are full and all stores are aboard.

Displacement as volume – W =v x p , as measure at the forward and aft

ends of the ship.

Displacement as weight – is the volume of water displaced when the vessel is

freely floating and such volume will equal the total weight of the boat or ship

and all items thereon at that time. It is the direct relation to overall weight.

Deadweight – the carrying power of a vessel beyond her own weight.

Trim – is the difference in centimeters or meters between the forward and aft

draughts as measured at the fwd and aft perpendicular