Fishing Vessel Trim & Stability

Contents:
• Introduction
• What is Stability?
• When is a Vessel Stable or Unstable?
• How Stability Works?
• How is Fishing Vessel’s Stability Measured?
• Initial vs. Overall Stability
• Free Surface - Shifting into Danger
• Fishing Operations - Danger at the Helm
• Wind and Waves - Danger in Heavy Seas
• Prudent Seamanship - Keeping a Level Vessel
• List of Stability Terms
• How do Naval Architects Develop Stability Guidance?
Introduction:
This presentation introduces the basic concepts of a fishing
vessel’s stability to fishing vessel crews, vessel owners, and other
interested parties in the commercial fishing community. The
primary stability concepts explored are:
• What is Stability?
• How does Stability Work?
• How do Naval Architects determine a fishing vessel’s stability to
develop safe operating guidance?
• What is the difference between initial and overall stability?
• What is the hidden danger in using a fishing vessel’s “feel”,
which is its initial stability, to gauge if there is adequate overall
stability?
• What are the effects of common fishing vessel operations on its
stability?
• What can fishing vessel crews do to maintain adequate
stability?
What is Stability?

Stability is the ability of a floating object to return to its

initial upright position of stable equilibrium after being
disturbed by an outside force.
• A fishing vessel is called stable when it has enough positive
stability to counter the external forces generated by current
weather and fishing conditions and will return to its upright
position.
What is Stability? Contd…
A fishing vessel is called unstable when it does not have enough
positive stability to counter the external forces generated by
current weather and fishing conditions and capsizes.

Since a fishing vessel’s stability is constantly changing during its

voyage due to changes in the weather, the vessel’s loading or
fishing operations, an originally stable fishing vessel that complies
with all the rules may become unstable.
When is a Vessel Stable or Unstable?
The stability of your ship is not something that is set once
and remains the same – it changes constantly throughout
your trip.
Whether a fishing vessel is stable or unstable depends on
two key factors; the forces acting to capsize the vessel and
the forces acting to right the vessel.
Consider an example shown below,
How Stability Works
The basics of stability: buoyancy and gravity
The buoyancy provided by the underwater parts of
the vessel, coupled with the weight of ship (Light
Weight + Dead Weight) determines the stability of
your vessel.
How Stability Works Contd…
How Stability Works Contd…
The Inclining Experiment
An Inclining Experiment is performed to determine
vessel’s lightship characteristics used in all stability
calculations.
• Vessel’s Light Weight
• Longitudinal Center of Gravity (L.C.G)
• Vertical Center of Gravity (V.C.G)
Vessel’s Lightship is all of the “fixed” weights on the vessel.
These are weights that do not change during the voyage
such as the hull and deckhouse, the engines, and the
fishing and processing gear.
How Stability Works Contd…
What Causes a Fishing Vessel to Return Upright when
Heeled
How Stability Works Contd…

Positive Stability Negative Stability

How is a Fishing Vessel’s Stability Measured?
Righting Arms - What are They?
The Righting Arm is the primary measurement used
to evaluate a fishing vessel’s stability.
How is a Fishing Vessel’s Stability Measured?
Contd……
GZ-Curve
How is a Fishing Vessel’s Stability Measured?
Contd……
The Righting Arm Curve
To evaluate a fishing vessel’s stability, a series of righting
arm curves are calculated for full range of operating
conditions encountered during the fishing trip.
Typical loading conditions used for the righting arm curves
are;
1. Full Load Departure - 100% Fuel & Water, No Catch
Onboard
2. Mid-Fishing Trip - 50% Fuel & Water, 50% Catch Onboard
3. Return to Dock, Good Fishing Trip - 10% Fuel & Water,
100% Catch Onboard
4. Return to Dock, Poor Fishing Trip - 10% Fuel & Water,
20% Catch Onboard
*Other loading conditions may be used to reflect unique operating
conditions for a particular fishing vessel.
How is a Fishing Vessel’s Stability Measured?
Contd……
The righting arm curve for a given loading condition is
determined by calculating the center of gravity and
center of buoyancy for the fishing vessel at a series of
fixed heel angles.
How is a Fishing Vessel’s Stability Measured?
Contd……
For typical fishing vessels, the righting arm curve has
several general characteristics that define its shape;
Factors that Effect Stability
• Free Surface
• Fishing Operations
• Wind & Waves
•
Free Surface
Free Surface is the term used to describe the motion of
liquids in slack tanks, water in the fish holds, flooded bilges
and deck houses, or any location where liquids are free to
move.
The ship suffers a virtual loss in metacentric height.
Remedy:
Placing longitudinal bulkheads do have a very effective
influence in reducing this virtual loss in GM.
Free Surface Effect can be due to:
• Progressive Downflooding
• Water on Deck
• Flooding of Deck houses