Question 4750 Deck General

The correct answer is D) negative initial stability. The angle of loll is a stability term that applies to a floating mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) with negative initial stability. Negative initial stability means the MODU has a metacentric height (GM) that is negative, resulting in an unstable equilibrium position. In this situation, the MODU will have an initial tendency to roll or "loll" to one side until it reaches a new stable position. The other answer choices are incorrect because: A) a MODU with stiff characteristics would have positive initial stability, not negative; B) excessive pitch or roll is a symptom of negative initial stability, not the cause; and C) off-center loading can contribute to negative initial stability, but is not the sole factor.