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Principlesofshiphandling:Pivotpoint
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Principlesofshiphandling
DefinesShiphandlingandManeuvering.AlsodescribestheBasicmovementofashipandtalksabout
thefactorsandforcesaffectingshiphandling.
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Shiphandling

Pivotpoint

BasicPropellerTypes

Pivotpoint
Unless stated otherwise each example assumes a ship on even keel in
calm conditions and still water. In this situation no forces are involved
andtheshiphasitscentreofgravityapproximatelyamidships.

Pivotpointofavesselstopped

MakingHeadway
Twoforcesnowcomeintoplay,firstlytheforwardmomentumoftheship
and secondly, longitudinal resistance to forward momentum, created by
the water ahead of the ship. These two forces must ultimately strike a
balance and the pivot point moves forward. As a rough guide it can be
assumedthat25%oftheshipsforwardmomentum,atconstantspeed,is
spent in overcoming longitudinal resistance and the pivot point will be
approximately1/4Lfromforward.

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Pivotpointmovesforwardasvesselgathersheadway

MakingSternway
The situation is now totally reversed, the momentum of sternway must
balancelongitudinalresistance,thistimecreatedbythewaterasternof
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4/1/2016

Principlesofshiphandling:Pivotpoint

the ship. The pivot point moves aft and establishes itself approximately
1/4Lfromthestern.
Although not intended, some publications may give the impression that
the pivot point moves right aft with sternway. This is clearly not correct
andcansometimesbemisleading.Itshouldalsobestressedthatother
factorssuchasacceleration,shapeofhullandspeedmayallaffectthe
positionofthepivotpoint.Thearbitraryfiguresquotedherehowever,are
perfectly adequate for a simple and practical working knowledge of the
subject.

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PrinciplesofshipHandling

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Pivotpointsaftasvesselmovesastern
TurningLeversandMoments
Moreimportantperhaps,thanthepositionofthepivotpoint,istheeffect
itsshiftingnaturehasuponthemanyturningforcesthatcaninfluencea
ship. These are rudder force, transverse thrust, bow thrust, tug force,
interactiveforcesandtheforcesofwindandtide.

VesselStopped
Ifwelookattheshipusedinourexample,wecanseethatithasalength
overallof160metres.Itisstoppedinthewaterandtwotugsaresecure
foreandaft,onlonglines,throughcentreleads.
If the tugs apply the same bollard pull of say 15 tonnes each, it is to a
position80mforeandaftofthepivotpoint.
Thus two equal turning levers and moments of 80m x 15t (1200tm) are
createdresultinginevenlateralmotionandnorateofturn.

MakingHeadway
With the ship making steady headway, however, the pivot point has
shiftedtoaposition40mfromthebow.Theforwardtugisnowworking
onaverypoorturningleverof40mx15t(600tm),whilsttheaftertugis
workingonanextremelygoodturningleverof120mx15t(1800tm).
Thisresultsinaswingofthebowtostarboard.

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TurningLevers:Makingheadway

MakingSternway
The efficiency of the tugs will change totally when the ship by contrast
makes sternway. Now the pivot point has moved aft to a position 40m
fromthestern.Theforwardtugisworkingonanexcellentturningleverof
120m x 15t(1800tm) whilst the after tug has lost its efficiency to a
reducedturningleverof40mx15t(600tm).
Thisnowresultsinaswingofthebowtoport.(Seeillustrationbelow)

VesselTurning
Whenmakingaturnthewholevesseldoesnotpassonthecurvedpath
formedbytheturningship.Thepivotpoint,inthiscaselocatedaboutone
fourthofthelengthfromthebow,istheonethattracesthecurvatureof
thispathsothatthesternoftheshipswingsinawideareaoutsideofthe
curvedpathwhilethebowswingsinsideandneedsasmallerarea.This
behaviour results in a certain length of the ships turning radius that
dependsontheshipsloadcondition,trimandspeed.

Asmallerturningradiuscanbeattainedifthepivotpointisshiftedmore
forward closer to the bow. This maneuver can be achieved through the
anchor dredging technique where the anchor at the side of the desired
turn. This way the forward movement as the vessel turns is reduced
because the ships turns about the pivot point that is now near the bow
wheretheanchorhawsepipeislocated.Seeillustrationbelow.

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Anchordredgingtechnique:Smallerturningradius,pivotpointmoves
forward.
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