ballast

[judith george]

dont know if i'm asking this in the right place what does it mean when a ship is in ballast as some of Dads cards say the ship was in ballast and others will have ballast under cargo

[gray_marian]

Judith, "Function of ballast is to keep the ship balanced when there is insufficient cargo weight. A ship also takes on extra ballast when sailing through rough seas in order to increase its stability, or to make the ship settle lower in the water when it needs to pass under a bridge." Sure the chaps on here will enlighten further

[judith george]

what is it?

[gray_marian]

Here you go my lovely, hope this explains it better Ballast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballast diagram didn't link sorry. Type it into google should show then

The ballast is rocks, lead or metal bars or even water tanks in the bottom of a ship that keep it from level and trim. In old days on sailing ships sailors would move rocks bars whatever they were using from one side of the ship to the other to keep it straight /Ballast is weight that is placed over the keel of a ship to lower it's centre of gravity, it makes the ship more stable

[gray_marian]

Was just thinking Judith.....where are the men when you need them Like buses I suppose, nothing for ages then they all arrive at once.....

[j.sabourn]

When next in London take a trip to both houses of parliament. There is a good example of ballast in both houses. Or alternatively, today ballast used in shipping if cant get cargo is used to keep the propeller in the water reduce the freeboard make the vessel more stable, wouldn't advise however to use the contents of the houses of parliament as such as would never stop talking and might distract anyone within hearing, although if in the double bottoms or deep tanks, would have the lids on and might give them food for thought., could also throw in a few piranha for company. Cheers JS

[judith george]

thank you both i understand now

[j.sabourn]

Ballast Water... Could be a subject on its own as the legislation on it has changed and differs in different parts of the world, if for example you pumped in ballast after discharging cargo in Shanghai, you could not proceed to Australia to load grain in Sydney and just pump out your ballast on arrival. It had or is to be documented where you ballasted, and are supposed to have pumped out your ballast well clear of the land and re-ballasted with so called clean and uncontaminated sea water. Those at present at various nautical colleges and other places of higher learning will be more aware of the present legislation than myself. Believe special logs are now kept on such, or would probably stand to receive large fines and penaltys for non compliance. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

I do recall a few crew who could be considered as ballast, they certainly added to the weight of work we had to do.

[j.sabourn]

John, there was usually one at least on the average cargo ship. With the large numbers you had on a passenger ship crew would imagine there were a few who wished to be ballast. JS