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It's easy to figure out a ship's weight and the longitudinal (LCG) and transverse
(TCG) centroids from just observing its drafts, trim and heel. Weight as function
of the volume of water of water displaced...Archimedes figured that out it two
thousand years ago (Hey, Eureka!). But determining the vertical centroid, the
VCG, is different and has to be determined by an inclining experiment. Here's a
pretty good explanation of the process at the naval post graduate school website.
The elements of the experiment are moving precisely measured weights, precise
distances transversely in the ship to cause heel, then measuring (precisely) that
heel angle. This is the relationship between the heel and weight moment (weight
x distance).
http://tallshipdesigner.blogspot.com/2008/03/inclining-test.html