©FYNDLAY EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
GSK (General Ships Knowledge) Exam
Questions And Answers (Guaranteed A+)
Define the FP - answer✔Forward Perpendicular - A vertical line perpendicular to the base line
from the point at which the LOAD WAERLINE and the forward side of the stem intersect.
Define the AP - answer✔The Aft Perpendicular - The vertical line erected on the base line
passing through the rudder stock. (or in a ship without a conventional rudder this is the point at
which the load waterline and the stern intersect). This point is also used as the reference frame
for numbering and is marked as frame 0 on plans.
Define the LBP - answer✔The Length Between Perpendiculars - The length of the vessel
measured between the forward and aft perpendiculars.
Define the LOA - answer✔Length Over All - The extreme length of the vessel
Define the LWL - answer✔The length as measured on the waterline at the actual draught.
Define Amidships - answer✔The mid point of the LBP
Define Extreme Breadth - answer✔The greatest breadth measured to the OUTSIDE of the shell
plating (aka beam width)
Define moulded breadth - answer✔The greatest breadth of the vessel measured to the INSIDE
of the shell plating
Define Freeboard - answer✔The vertical distance measured downwards from the uppermost
continuous (watertight) deck to the waterline at amidships
Define the Assigned Freeboard - answer✔the vertical distance measured downwards from the
uppermost continuous watertight deck to the upper edge of the summer load line at amidships
Define Draught - answer✔The verticle distance between the baseline and any waterline.
Draught is often also spelt draft and these two spellings are interchangeable.
1|Page
, ©FYNDLAY EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Define the Reserve of Buoyancy - answer✔The volume of enclosed spaces between the
waterline and the freeboard deck. It may be expressed as a volume in m3 or as a percentage of
the total enclosed volume of the vessel
Define Camber - answer✔Transverse curvature of the deck. It helps shed water from the upper
deck.
define sheer - answer✔the rise in curvature of the deck fore and aft. It adds buoyancy to the
ends where it is most needed. CAMBER AND SHEER ARE ARRANGED IN THE DESIGN OF THE
VESSEL SO THAT WATER SHIPPED IN A HEAVY SEA MAY FREELY MOVE ACCROSS OR ALONG THE
DECK AND OVERBOARD
define flare - answer✔The curvature of the bow plating. Apart from streamlining the bow
section, flare increases the breadth of the forecastle head and allows anchors to drop clear of
the bow plating. In a seaway, the buoyancy of the bow section will increase as is is immersed
further into the water. This increasing buoyancy helps to prevent the bow from diving too
deeply in heavy seas.
Define rake. - answer✔The fore and aft slope from vertical. Bows, masts and funnels are often
raked.
Define Tun (Ton) (notice the spelling) - answer✔This is a measurement of volume and not
weight. It is equivalent to a 200 gallon cask (a container of 60 cubic feet of 1.7m3
Tonne (Metric Ton) - answer✔A measurement of weight and not volume, 1000kg or 2,200Ibs
define the load displacement (W or Δ) - answer✔The mass of the hull and everything on board
at any given draught / densitywhich will vary depending upon the the density of the water,
cargo and stores on board.
define the light displacement - answer✔the mass of the vessle when complete and ready for
sea but with no passengers, stores or cargo on board.
Remember: Δ = Underwater volume x Relative Density of the Water - answer✔
Define the summer displacement (W or Δ) - answer✔The mass of the hull and everything on
board at her summer draught which will vary depending upon the density of the water and the
stores onboard.
Define deadweight - answer✔The difference between the lightship displacement and the actual
displacement at any given draft
2|Page
, ©FYNDLAY EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Define summer deadweight - answer✔this can be thought of as the cargo capacity of the ship
and the difference between lightship displacement and the summer displacement at her
assigned freeboard
define load displacement - answer✔the maximum weight of the ship floating at her assigned
freeboard
Define Load Deadweight - answer✔the difference between the lightship displacement and the
load displacement
define gross tonnage - answer✔this is usually considered as the internal volume less certain
exemptions. Note that the gross tonnage is calculated at a rate of 2.83 m3 per tonne
define net tonnage - answer✔Obtained by deducting the non-freight spaces (accommodation,
machinery spaces, stores etc) from the gross tonnage
define trim - answer✔the difference between the draught at the forward perpendicular and the
draught at the aft perpendicular. If there is no difference in draughts then the ship is said to be
"on an even keel"
define TPC - answer✔Tonnes Per Centimeter immersion - the additional tonnage displaced
when the mean draught is increased or decreased by 1cm. How much extra weight taken on
board will cause a ship's draught to increase by 1cm?
Define MCTC - answer✔Moment to change trim one centimetre - The moment (W x D) required
to change the trim by 1cm it is commonly used when calculating longitudinal stability.
Name the 6 directions a ship goes in a heavy sea - answer✔-surge
-sway
-pitch
-roll
-yaw
-heave
What are the two terms called when a ship ontop of a crest - answer✔-Sagging when it's
between two crests and the middle droops.
- Hogging when it's back is arched because it is sitting in the middle of a crest
What is a tortional stress and what is a racking srtess - answer✔-tortional is twisting
-racking is transverse bending out of shape
3|Page
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
GSK (General Ships Knowledge) Exam
Questions And Answers (Guaranteed A+)
Define the FP - answer✔Forward Perpendicular - A vertical line perpendicular to the base line
from the point at which the LOAD WAERLINE and the forward side of the stem intersect.
Define the AP - answer✔The Aft Perpendicular - The vertical line erected on the base line
passing through the rudder stock. (or in a ship without a conventional rudder this is the point at
which the load waterline and the stern intersect). This point is also used as the reference frame
for numbering and is marked as frame 0 on plans.
Define the LBP - answer✔The Length Between Perpendiculars - The length of the vessel
measured between the forward and aft perpendiculars.
Define the LOA - answer✔Length Over All - The extreme length of the vessel
Define the LWL - answer✔The length as measured on the waterline at the actual draught.
Define Amidships - answer✔The mid point of the LBP
Define Extreme Breadth - answer✔The greatest breadth measured to the OUTSIDE of the shell
plating (aka beam width)
Define moulded breadth - answer✔The greatest breadth of the vessel measured to the INSIDE
of the shell plating
Define Freeboard - answer✔The vertical distance measured downwards from the uppermost
continuous (watertight) deck to the waterline at amidships
Define the Assigned Freeboard - answer✔the vertical distance measured downwards from the
uppermost continuous watertight deck to the upper edge of the summer load line at amidships
Define Draught - answer✔The verticle distance between the baseline and any waterline.
Draught is often also spelt draft and these two spellings are interchangeable.
1|Page
, ©FYNDLAY EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Define the Reserve of Buoyancy - answer✔The volume of enclosed spaces between the
waterline and the freeboard deck. It may be expressed as a volume in m3 or as a percentage of
the total enclosed volume of the vessel
Define Camber - answer✔Transverse curvature of the deck. It helps shed water from the upper
deck.
define sheer - answer✔the rise in curvature of the deck fore and aft. It adds buoyancy to the
ends where it is most needed. CAMBER AND SHEER ARE ARRANGED IN THE DESIGN OF THE
VESSEL SO THAT WATER SHIPPED IN A HEAVY SEA MAY FREELY MOVE ACCROSS OR ALONG THE
DECK AND OVERBOARD
define flare - answer✔The curvature of the bow plating. Apart from streamlining the bow
section, flare increases the breadth of the forecastle head and allows anchors to drop clear of
the bow plating. In a seaway, the buoyancy of the bow section will increase as is is immersed
further into the water. This increasing buoyancy helps to prevent the bow from diving too
deeply in heavy seas.
Define rake. - answer✔The fore and aft slope from vertical. Bows, masts and funnels are often
raked.
Define Tun (Ton) (notice the spelling) - answer✔This is a measurement of volume and not
weight. It is equivalent to a 200 gallon cask (a container of 60 cubic feet of 1.7m3
Tonne (Metric Ton) - answer✔A measurement of weight and not volume, 1000kg or 2,200Ibs
define the load displacement (W or Δ) - answer✔The mass of the hull and everything on board
at any given draught / densitywhich will vary depending upon the the density of the water,
cargo and stores on board.
define the light displacement - answer✔the mass of the vessle when complete and ready for
sea but with no passengers, stores or cargo on board.
Remember: Δ = Underwater volume x Relative Density of the Water - answer✔
Define the summer displacement (W or Δ) - answer✔The mass of the hull and everything on
board at her summer draught which will vary depending upon the density of the water and the
stores onboard.
Define deadweight - answer✔The difference between the lightship displacement and the actual
displacement at any given draft
2|Page
, ©FYNDLAY EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Define summer deadweight - answer✔this can be thought of as the cargo capacity of the ship
and the difference between lightship displacement and the summer displacement at her
assigned freeboard
define load displacement - answer✔the maximum weight of the ship floating at her assigned
freeboard
Define Load Deadweight - answer✔the difference between the lightship displacement and the
load displacement
define gross tonnage - answer✔this is usually considered as the internal volume less certain
exemptions. Note that the gross tonnage is calculated at a rate of 2.83 m3 per tonne
define net tonnage - answer✔Obtained by deducting the non-freight spaces (accommodation,
machinery spaces, stores etc) from the gross tonnage
define trim - answer✔the difference between the draught at the forward perpendicular and the
draught at the aft perpendicular. If there is no difference in draughts then the ship is said to be
"on an even keel"
define TPC - answer✔Tonnes Per Centimeter immersion - the additional tonnage displaced
when the mean draught is increased or decreased by 1cm. How much extra weight taken on
board will cause a ship's draught to increase by 1cm?
Define MCTC - answer✔Moment to change trim one centimetre - The moment (W x D) required
to change the trim by 1cm it is commonly used when calculating longitudinal stability.
Name the 6 directions a ship goes in a heavy sea - answer✔-surge
-sway
-pitch
-roll
-yaw
-heave
What are the two terms called when a ship ontop of a crest - answer✔-Sagging when it's
between two crests and the middle droops.
- Hogging when it's back is arched because it is sitting in the middle of a crest
What is a tortional stress and what is a racking srtess - answer✔-tortional is twisting
-racking is transverse bending out of shape
3|Page
