Section 3.6 - 3.

7
LONGITUDINAL
CHANGES IN CG

Consider a ship floating on an even keel, that is, no list or trim...

_.

When a weight, w, is added, it causes a change draft.

ww

_.

The ship will pivot about the center of flotation, F.

The change in draft will be evident in a change of draft
forward...
and aft.

Taft
Trim

_.
Tfwd

The difference between the fore and aft drafts is the change in trim:
Trim = Taft - Tfwd

Graphically, it looks like this. First, the ship is represented with a line
representing its initial state:
AP

FP

)(
O
F

_.

As weight is added, the the ship rotates about F:

)(
O

AP
F

FP
w

_.

You can simulate this on your paper by turning the sheet in the direction that the
bow or stern would sink because of the added weight, then drawing a line to
represent the new position.

Now, rotate the sheet so that the line drawn becomes level and acts as
the new waterline:
)(
O

AP
F

FP

_.

The changes in draft can now be read directly

)(
O
Taft

Tfwd

Trim

_.

Taft is below the WL, so its subtracted. Tfwd is above the waterline, so its added to the
draft.

There are two aspects of draft to consider when finding the change in draft:
1. Change in draft due to the parallel sinkage of the vessel due to the
added weight, w:

TPS = w
TPI

2. Change in draft due to the moment created by the added weight

at a distance from F, or wl:

Trim = wl
MT1

These two measurements- change due to parallel sinkage and

change in trim due to moment- when added with the initial
draft will give you the TOTAL draft, forward and aft:
Trim = wl
MT1

TPS =

w
TPI

Tfwd new = Tfwd old TPS Trim

AND

Taft new = Taft old TPS Trim

Lets consider change due to the parallel sinkage of the vessel first:

TPS = w
TPI

TPI, Tons Per Inch Immersion is a geometric function of the vessel at

a given draft and is taken from the Curves of Form
The added weight, w, will cause the vessel to sink a small distance for
the length of the entire vessel
We assume that the weight is applied at F! This assures that the sinkage
is uniform over the length of the ship

Now consider the change in trim due to the created moment of the added
weight:

Trim = wl
MT1
MT1, or the Moment to Trim 1, is also from the Curves of Form
The weight, w, at a distance, l, from the center of flotation, F, creates
a moment that causes the ship to rotate about F
This rotation causes one end to sink and the other end to rise
The degree of rise or fall depends on the location of F with regard to
the entire length of the ship as given by Lpp

The value for Trim will be for the entire length of the ship:

Trim = wl
MT1

l
)(
O
Taft

Tfwd

Trim

Lpp

...Now we need to find how much of the trim is aft and how
much is forward!

_.

To find the trim distribution, consider the similar triangles formed below:
l
)(
O

Taft

daft

dfwd
Lpp

The largest triangle shows the TOTAL change in trim, Trim

The hatched green triangle shows the forward trim Tfwd
The hatched yellow area triangle shows the aft trim, Taft

Tfwd

Trim

_.

l
)(
O

Taft

daft

Tfwd

Trim

_.

dfwd
Lpp

For these similar triangles there is a ratio aspect that relates to each:

Trim
=
Lpp

Taft
daft

Tfwd
dfwd

(The short leg divided by the long leg of the triangle!)

Knowing how to find the change in draft from parallel sinkage and from the
created moment, you can now find the total change in draft fore and aft:

Tfwd new = Tfwd old TPS T

AND

Taft new = Taft old TPS T

Example:
The YP floats at a draft 10.5 ft aft and 10.1ft forward. A load of 10LT is placed
15ft forward of amidships. Find the final forward and aft drafts.
GIVEN:
Lpp = 101.7 ft

Draft = (10.5 + 10.1)/2 = 10.3ft

amidships = 50.85 ft

s = 2LT x 215 = 430LT

LCF = 51.5 ft from FP, or .65ft aft of amidships

DRAW A PICTURE!
Dfwd = 51.5

Daft = 50.2
15

_.

Taft

)(
O
F

101.7

10LT

Tfwd

Trim

Dfwd = 51.5

Daft = 50.2
15

_.

)(
O

Taft

10LT

101.7

Step 1: Find change due to parallel sinkage

TPS =

TPS =

TPS =

w
TPI
10LT
235 x .02LT/in
2.13in

Tfwd

Trim

Dfwd = 51.5

Daft = 50.2
15

_.

)(
O

Taft

10LT

101.7

Step 2: Find change due to moment

Trim = wl
MT1
Trim =
10LT x 15ft
252.5 x .141 LT-ft/in
Trim =

4.21in

Tfwd

Trim

Dfwd = 51.5

Daft = 50.2
15

_.

)(
O

Taft

Tfwd

10LT

Trim

101.7

Step 3: Divide the Trim based on similar triangles

Trim Taft Tfwd

=
=
Lpp
daft
dfwd
4.21in

101.7ft

Taft
50.2ft

Tfwd
51.5ft

Taft = 50.2ft x 4.21in = 2.08 in

101.7ft

Tfw = 51.5ft x
d

4.21in
101.7ft

= 2.13 in

Dfwd = 51.5

Daft = 50.2
15

_.

Taft

)(
O

10LT

Tfwd

101.7

Step 4: Sum the changes in draft fore and aft

Forward:

Tfwd new = Tfwd old TPS Tmoment

Tfwd new = 10.1ft + (2.13in + 2.13in) x (1ft/12in)
Tfwd new = 10.1ft + .36ft
Tfwd new = 10.46ft

Trim

Dfwd = 51.5

Daft = 50.2
15

_.

Taft

)(
O

10LT

Tfwd

101.7

Step 4: Sum the changes in draft fore and aft

Aft:

Taft new = Taft old TPS Tmoment

Taft new = 10.5ft + (2.13in - 2.08in) x (1ft/12in)
Taft new = 10.5ft + .004ft
Taft new = 10.504ft

Trim