Question 2066 Deck Safety

The correct answer is D) the vessel will possess a long rolling period. When a vessel's GM (Metacentric Height) is small but positive, it indicates the vessel has high initial stability. This means the vessel will have a long rolling period, as it takes more energy to roll the vessel from upright to the maximum angle of roll. Conversely, a vessel with a short rolling period would have low initial stability, which is not the case here. The other options are incorrect because: A) a positive GM means the vessel has positive stability, not negative stability; B) a small but positive GM indicates high initial stability, not a short rolling period; and C) high initial stability is the correct characterization, not low initial stability.