Estimation of drafts and metacentric heights of small fishing vessels according to loading conditions

Abstract

A large percentage of maritime accidents in coastal seas are related to small fishing vessels. In order to investigate causes of maritime accidents, it is often necessary to carry out dynamic simulations for the estimation of trajectories and motions of vessels. Initial conditions of vessels such as main dimensions, loading conditions and hydrostatic properties are required for the accurate simulations. Small fishing vessels usually have few records of hydrostatic properties during their fishing operations. Therefore, in this study, estimation procedures for hydrostatic properties of small fishing vessels are proposed. At first, hull form characteristics of Korean small fishing vessels are investigated. Most of vessels have hardchines and centerline skegs, they have similar hull forms. Bonjean curves of several small fishing vessels whose gross tonnages are below 10 tons are normalized with vessel breadths and depths. Representative bonjean curves are derived from normalized bonjean curves, and a representative hull plan is obtained as well. If the vessel loading conditions such as total weights and centers of gravity are given, fore and aft drafts can be calculated by using the representative bonjean curves with the constraint that weights and buoyancies are in equilibrium. Metacentric heights are also estimated by using the representative hull plan. Drafts and metacentric heights estimated by proposed iterative estimation procedures are compared with actual vessel data, estimated values are in good agreements with actual values. In addition, normalized fore and aft drafts, metacentric heights of vessels can be formulated as the linear functions of normalized total weights and centers of gravity. Empirical formulas of drafts and metacentric heights are proposed, and it is confirmed that the empirical formulas also provide reasonable results, which are similar to the results by iterative estimation procedures with representative bonjean curves and hull plan. (C) 2019 Society of Naval Architects of Korea. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.