Posted by Bob Read on August 30, 2000 at 21:22:47:
In Reply to: Stabilizers, what did they do? posted by Doug May on August 30, 2000 at 21:13:33:
Doug:
The technical name for the stabilizers you
speak of are "bilge keels". Yes they did provide some stability against rolling. By that I mean the tendency of the ship to tip to port or starboard and back again. Having a low center of gravity also helps prevent rolling. They may have looked insignificant but they weren't.
I'm not an expert but I believ that on todays ship
they employ gyro stabilization which is more effective.
Regards,
Bob Read
: Question for anyone:
: The stablizers on the port and starboard sides of the hull near the bottom, below the waterline - why were they needed? They don't look very wide, and I am not sure what their purpose was, can anyone enlighten me on this?
: What did they do? They seem very insignificant in size. Did they make much of a difference in the handling of the ship? Do all ships have these stabilizers?