INDIAN MARITIME UNIVERSITY

B.Sc. Nautical Science

UG21T5105- General Ship Knowledge

Unit: 3 - Definition and Meanings

Length between Perpencular:

It is the length between the forward and aft perpendicular. LBP is very
important for stability calculations.

Forward Perpendicular: It is a perpendicular is drawn at the point where the

bow intersects the summer load waterline. OR It is a perpendicular drawn to
the waterline at the point where the fore-side of the stem meets the summer
load line.. In most of the hydrostatic calculations, the forward perpendicular is
used as the forward reference of the hull.

Aft perpendicular : Is a line drawn through the rudder post or throught the
centerline of the rudder pintles.It is reference line for all the hydrostatic
calculations.

Length Overall: It is the length of the ship taken over all extremities.

Breadth extreme:

It is the maximum breadth to the outside of the shell plating of the vessel.It
means the athwartship distance between the extremity of the outermost
permanent structure on the port side and the starboard side.

Breadth Moulded:

The greatest breadth of the ship measured between the inside edges of the
shell plating measured at amidships.

Depth of vessel:
It is the distance measured vertically from the lowest point of the hull,
ordinarily

from the bottom of the keel, to the side of any deck that you may choose as a
reference point. Therefore, it has to be stated in specific terms such as depth
to upper deck amidships.

Draft:

The draft or draught of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the
waterline and the bottom of the hull (keel).

Freeboard:

Freeboard is the distance measured from the waterline to the upper edge of
the deck plating at side of the freeboard deck amidships.

Camber of deck:

The curvature of the deck in a transverse direction. Camber is measured

between the deck height at the centre and the deck height at the side.

Sheer of deck:

The sheer is a measure of longitudinal main deck curvature, in naval

architecture.

Rake of Stem:

It is the Inclination of the stem line from the vertical.

Rise of floor:

It is The distance above the keel that a tangent to the bottom at or near the
keel cuts the line of maximum beam amidships.

Air Draft:

Air draft (or air draught) is the distance from the surface of the water to the
highest point on a vessel.
Flare of Bows:

Flare is the angle at which a ship's hull plate spread out or departs from the
vertical in an outward direction with increasing height.

Parallel Middle body:

The ship length for which the midship section is constant in area and shape

Entrance:

It is the immersed body of the vessel forward of the parallel middle body.

Run:

It is the immersed body of the vessel aft of the parallel middle body.

Forward Perpendicular (FP)

A perpendicular drawn to the waterline at the point where the fore-side of the
stem meets the summer load line.

After Perpendicular

The after perpendicular, or aft perpendicular, noted AP, is a line drawn

perpendicularly to the load line through the after side of the rudder post or
through the axis of the rudder stock.

Amidships:

It is the longitudinal centerline of a ship.

Abeam:

Abeam definition, at right angles to the fore-and-aft line.

Right Ahead:

This is a direction exactly ahead of the vessel.

Right Astern:

This is a diretion exactly astern of the vessel.

Base Line:

It is the line drawn at base of the keel. It is the reference line through which
the measurments of draft calculated.

Bilge radius:

The radius of the plating joining the side shell to the bottom shell. It is
measured at midships.

Bow:

It is the forward part of the hull of the ship.

Stern:

It is the after end or aft most part of a ship.

Trim:

It is difference in draft forward and Aft.

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