I apologize for acting like a school boy asking the teacher a question to which he knows the answer. For me this has been a novel way to get fellow dining room passenger into a conversation. About ten years ago while approaching San Pedro Harbor(Los Angeles) on the "Nordic Prince" I asked our table waiter if he was going to get off the ship for the day. He informed me that the vessel was to be "weighed "while docked and that most of the crew, all passengers and luggage would be off the vessel during the "weighing". I too was perplexed as some of the answers to the question as to how a ship might be weighed.. While waiting to disembark I met the Captain and asked him about the matter. He introduced me to the two men who would do the weighing.
Actually, "weighing" is a term for determining stability of the vessel while on different types of seas such as winter in North Atlantic, cold water seas or tropical seas, etc.. The two men, using a small boat would go around the vessel to check determine that all the load lines were equal. The load lines are determined by the Plimsoll marks on various the sides of the vessel and the numbers at the bow and stern. The surveyors determine the depth between the keel and the load line.. As the surveyors go around the vessel to check, they may be communicating with the bridge to have ballast corrected.
It is understandable the use of the word "weigh" can pose a problem because in nautical terms it can also mean raising the anchor or getting under way. I certainly appreciate the information provided by "pamada" from Peter Stocker. I hope the answer can be comprehended because it did mystify me when I was told how the vessel is weighed. The weighing has nil to do with tonnages which is determined on entirely different methods.
The anchor is away when it is off the bottom. A ship's weight is determined by the weight of the water it displaces. A process made complicated because salt water doesn't weigh the same as fresh water. A ship will settle lower in fresh water. Weighing a ship has more to do with how a ship sits in the water than what it actually weighs. I would think a cruise line would want to know that from a ship laden with passengers, baggage and consumables. The cruise industry's approach to seamanship continues to be a mystery.
All passengers & luggage would be OFF the vessel while in port????? How can this be, when some passengers choose to remain aboard and I would imagine everyone has UNPACKED their luggage and doesn't want it bothered. I don't understand this bit. I've never noticed that any of my belongings were ever moved or messed with? Am I being stupid and missing the point?
Have to say I think there's some "misunderstanding" here. Can't imagine a ship being emptied for "weighing". Certainly something I've never witnessed or heard of. IF it were true it would certainly be more logical for this to be done at the end of a cruise, after all passengers and luggage had left the ship, and prior to the new passengers boarding.
Wonder if Hanna remembers packing up all his belongings so they could take be taken off the ship for the procedure. If that had been the case, he would have known the reason for this beforehand, and wouldn't have needed it explained by his waiter.
I AM going to check on this... only because I prefer no information to misinformation, and I can't say I know the answer for certain
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Weighing Ship Answer
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