Question 2047 Deck Safety

The correct answer is B) decrease the righting moments. Explanation: Shifting weight to a position above the vessel's center of gravity (CG) will decrease the righting moments. Righting moments are the forces that act to restore the vessel's upright position when it experiences a heeling or rolling motion. By moving weight higher, the distance between the weight and the vessel's center of gravity increases, which reduces the righting moments and makes the vessel less stable. The other options are incorrect because: A) increasing KM (the distance between the metacenter and the keel) would actually increase stability, not decrease it; C) reserve buoyancy is not affected by the vertical shift of weight; and D) decreasing KG (the distance between the center of gravity and the keel) would increase stability, not decrease it.