The point at which the weight of the boat acts vertically downwards is the

The point at which the weight of the boat acts vertically downwards is the

• A. CENTER OF BUOYANCY
• B. CENTER OF GRAVITY
• C. METACENTER
• D. HULL CENTER

Answer: (B)

The weight of the boat acts vertically downward through the center of gravity, the point where the boat’s mass can be considered to be concentrated. This point depends on how weight is distributed aboard—adding ballast low or moving heavy items low lowers the center of gravity, while lifting weights higher raises it. The buoyant force, acting upward, goes through the center of buoyancy (the centroid of the submerged volume) and shifts as the boat heels, which is why stability is analyzed with the metacenter as a reference. The hull center isn’t a standard point for where weight acts. So, the downward weight acts through the center of gravity.

The weight of the boat acts vertically downward through the center of gravity, the point where the boat’s mass can be considered to be concentrated. This point depends on how weight is distributed aboard—adding ballast low or moving heavy items low lowers the center of gravity, while lifting weights higher raises it. The buoyant force, acting upward, goes through the center of buoyancy (the centroid of the submerged volume) and shifts as the boat heels, which is why stability is analyzed with the metacenter as a reference. The hull center isn’t a standard point for where weight acts. So, the downward weight acts through the center of gravity.