Which ships are more susceptible to currents?

Master the Navigation, Seamanship, and Shiphandling (NSS) – Officer of the Deck (OOD) Phase 2 Exam with engaging flashcards and multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Prepare comprehensively for your test!

Multiple Choice

Which ships are more susceptible to currents?

Currents push on the submerged hull, so how much effect they have depends on how much hull is in the water and how easily the vessel can be steered. A vessel that sits lower in the water, with low freeboard, presents more submerged surface to the flowing water, increasing the sideways force from the current and making it harder to maintain or return to a desired track. Heavier ships tend to have larger hulls and greater submerged area, amplifying the current’s influence, and they often have more inertia, making rapid course corrections slower. Taken together, heavy ships with low freeboard are more susceptible to currents than lighter, high-freeboard ships.

Currents push on the submerged hull, so how much effect they have depends on how much hull is in the water and how easily the vessel can be steered. A vessel that sits lower in the water, with low freeboard, presents more submerged surface to the flowing water, increasing the sideways force from the current and making it harder to maintain or return to a desired track. Heavier ships tend to have larger hulls and greater submerged area, amplifying the current’s influence, and they often have more inertia, making rapid course corrections slower. Taken together, heavy ships with low freeboard are more susceptible to currents than lighter, high-freeboard ships.

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