Question 2133 Deck Safety

The correct answer is C) metacentric height is negative. The original equilibrium position is always unstable when the metacentric height (GM) is negative. The metacentric height is the distance between the center of gravity (G) and the metacenter (M). When GM is negative, the ship becomes inherently unstable, as any small disturbance will cause the ship to continue rolling rather than returning to its original position. The other answer choices are incorrect because: A) a higher KM (transverse metacentric height) does not necessarily mean the equilibrium is unstable, B) free surfaces can contribute to instability but do not directly determine the stability, and D) exceeding the maximum allowable KG limits may cause instability, but a negative GM is the direct cause of an unstable equilibrium position.