Stability Criteria & Limits
How stability is judged, how it is calculated, and why “compliant” is not the same as “safe” Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Criteria Are Minimums, Not Guarantees Stability criteria exist because ships have capsized while appearing “fine” right up to the end. The criteria most officers learn […]
Loading Computers
Why “the computer says OK” is not a defence Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Why This Article Matters Loading computers have prevented countless accidents — and contributed to many others. They are powerful, precise, and persuasive. They present numbers, curves, and green indicators that imply certainty. This […]
Trim
How fore-and-aft balance quietly controls draft, propulsion, and safety Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Trim Is Leverage, Not Cosmetics Trim is often treated as a minor adjustment — something tidied up after cargo is loaded or ballast is shifted. That mindset is dangerous. Trim changes where the […]
Drafts Explained
Why draft is a measurement, not a truth Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Draft Is an Observation, Not a Fact Draft is often treated as a known quantity. In reality, draft is a measurement taken under imperfect conditions, subject to error, interpretation, and change. Every calculation that […]
Forces Acting on a Loaded Ship
How cargo, ballast, wind, and sea quietly shape stability Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Stability Is Shaped by Forces, Not Conditions Stability is often described as if it were a condition the ship is in: stable or unstable. In reality, stability is the result of forces acting […]
What Stability Really Means on a Ship
Why ships float, why they return upright, and why some never do Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Stability Is About Behaviour, Not Numbers Stability is often taught as a collection of formulas, curves, and criteria. That approach creates officers who can pass exams but do not truly understand […]
Tides & Currents
Why depth and direction are never static at sea Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Water Is Not a Fixed Environment One of the most dangerous assumptions a bridge team can make is that depth and water movement are constant. They are not. At sea — and especially […]
Common Weather-Related Accidents
Common Weather-Related Accidents Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Weather Rarely Acts Alone Very few ships are lost simply because the weather was severe. Investigations repeatedly show that weather is the environmental trigger, not the primary cause. The actual causes are nearly always found in the decisions made […]
Heavy-Weather Tactics
How ships are kept safe when the sea can no longer be avoided Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – The Moment Avoidance Ends Every ship eventually reaches a point where weather avoidance is no longer realistic. Sea room may be limited, timing windows may have closed, or systems […]
Heavy-Weather Avoidance
Why the best heavy-weather tactic is often never meeting it at all Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Avoidance Is a Decision, Not a Manoeuvre Heavy-weather avoidance is often misunderstood as a dramatic last-minute alteration to escape a storm. In reality, true avoidance is almost always quiet, early, […]