Home || Tanker Safety || Container Ship Handling || Commercial Management || EMS ||

Ships manoeuvering- External forces affecting the drift angle

Home 1. Structural design and length : The longer the ship generally, the greater the turning Safe Anchoring Plan
circle.The type of rudder and the resulting steering effect will decide the final diameter, with
Tanker Notes the clearance between rudder and hull having a major influence.The smaller the clearance Passage Planning
between rudder and hull the more effective the turning action.
Container Ship Ships Motion at Sea
Operations
2. Draught and trim : The deeper a vessel lies in the water, the more sluggish will be her Stability Calculation
Safety Navigation response to the helm. On the other hand, the superstructure of a vessel in a light condition
and shallow in draught is considerably influenced by the wind. The trim of a vessel will In Confined Waters
Ship influence the size of the turning circle in such a way that it will decrease if the vessel is
Charterparties In Congested Water
trimmed by the head. However, vessels normally trim by the stern for better steerage and
SEEMP Measures improved headway and it would be unusual for a vessel to be trimmed in normal In Shallow Water
circumstances by the head.
Voyage Heavy Wx Navigation
Management
Restricted Visibility
3. Motive power: The relation
Environmental
Management between power and displacement Confined Waters
will affect the turning circle
Ballast performance of any vessel in the Securing for Sea
Handling same way that a light speedboat
has greater acceleration than a Navigational Guidance
Stevedoring
Procedure
heavily laden ore carrier. It Squat Calculation
should be remembered that the
Machinery rudder is only effective when Turning Circle
Spaces there is a flow of water past
it.The turning circle will therefore Freezing Conditions
Catering Safety
not increase by any considerable Nav Watch Trasfer
Home margin with an increase in
speed, because the steering Nav Equipments
effect is increased over the same
period. (The rudder steering effect will increase with Procedures for Pilotage
the square of the flow of water past the rudder.)
Helicopter Operations

4. Distribution and stowage of cargo : Generally this

will not affect the turning circle in any way, but the
vessel will respond more readily if loads are stowed TCD manoeuvres. Ship run at full speed with rudder
amidships instead of at the extremities. Merchant ship helm 35 degrees P or S throughout this trial.
design tends to distribute weight throughout the
vessels length.The reader may be able to imagine a vessel loaded heavily fore and aft responding slowly and sluggishly to the helm.

5. Even keel or listed over: A new vessel when engaged on trials will be on an even keel when carrying out turning circles for recording the
ships data. This condition of even keel cannot, however, always be guaranteed once the vessel is commissioned and loaded. If a vessel is
carrying a list, it can be expected to make a larger turning circle when turning towards the list, and vice-versa.

6. Available depth of water : The majority of vessels, depending on hull form, will experience greater resistance when navigating in shallow
water. A form of interaction takes place between the hull and the sea bed which may result in the vessel yawing and becoming difficult to
steer. She may take longer to respond to helm movement, probably increasing the advance of the turning circle, as well as increasing over
the transfer. The corresponding final diameter will be increased retrospectively.

7. Rudder angle: Probably the most significant factor affecting the turning circle is the rudder angle.The optimum is one which will cause
maximum turning effect without causing excessive drag. If a small rudder angle is employed, a large turning circle will result, with little loss
of speed. However, when a large rudder angle is employed, then, although a tighter turning circle may be experienced, this will be
accompanied by a loss of speed.

8. Drift angle and influencing forces: When a vessel responds to helm movement, it is normal for the stern of the vessel to traverse in
opposing motion.Although the bow movement is what is desired, the resultant motion of the vessel is one of crabbing in a sideways direction,
at an angle of drift.

When completing a turning circle, because of this angle of drift, the stern quarters are outside the turning circle area while the bow area is
inside the turning circle. Studies have shown that the pivot point of the vessel in most cases describes the circumference of the turning
circle.

Advice for Helmsman and Officer of the Watch

A deeply laden vessel will experience little effect from wind or sea when turning, but a vessel in a light or ballasted condition will make
considerable leeway, especially with strong winds.
When turning, the pivot point of the vessel is often situated well forward of the bridge and may produce the effect of the vessel turning at a
faster rate than she actually is.
A vessel trimmed by the stern will steer more easily but the tactical diameter of the turn is increased.
A vessel trimmed by the head will decrease the diameter of the turning circle but will become difficult to steer.
If a vessel is carrying a list, the time taken to complete the turn will be subject to delay. A larger turn will be experienced when turning into
the list.
 3DEXPERIENCE World 2021
Ad Get inspired, learn new skills, and build
relationships from the comfort of your own…
Ad
Solidworks

Learn More

Related Topics

Various factors affecting ships turning circle while manoeuvering

When a vessel fitted with a right-hand fixed propeller, she would benefit from the transverse thrust effect, and her turning circle, in general, will
be quicker and tighter when turning to port than to starboard. ....

External factors that affecting ships turn

The deeper a vessel lies in the water, the more sluggish will be her response to the helm. On the other hand, the superstructure of a vessel in a
light condition and shallow in draught is considerably influenced by the wind. ....

Ships navigation -Factors Affecting Turning circle diameter

Merchant ships usually turn in a circle having a diameter of about 3–4 times the length between perpendiculars (LBP). The larger the rudder, the
smaller will be the Turning circle diameter(TCD). During the TCD manoeuvre, the ship will experience transfer, advance, drift angles and angle of
heel (see Figure )....

Other Info Pages

Home Our home page
Site Map Page listing for this site.
Site Use and Privacy - Read our privacy policy and site use information.
Contact us

Copyright © Ships business.com All rights reserved.