Deck General · Righting Arm & GZ Curve

At small angles of heel (up to approximately 15 degrees), GZ can be approximated by:

Explanation

At small angles, GZ ≈ GM x sin(theta). This is the basis of initial stability theory. For larger angles, the relationship becomes non-linear and requires the full GZ curve from the stability booklet. GM alone is insufficient to predict stability at large heel angles.

Authority: Stability & Trim (USCG deck topic)

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