Deadweight tons ?

pugwash

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30 May 2001
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I have a 30ft wooden ketch designed by Holman and built in 1969. On her registration certificate she's rated at 6.76 gross tons, 5.82 registered tons, and 9.5 tons Thames Measurement. How do I work out the deadweight tonnage, or is that the same as registered tons? Even a rough idea would help. I need to know for buying equipment. Thanks.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Tons of confusion ?

Weight ? Area ?

Lets confuse everybody by calling it Tons ?

A suitable case for conversion to metric ? It would be for me.

I have a stamp on a bulkhead in my boat which looks like a final pensions payout. What does it all mean ? No idea mate.
 
G

Guest

Guest
As far as I am aware - and I may be very very wrong because I haven't looked at the subject for nearly 40 years:

o Gross Tons = Ship + Bunkers and Stores + Cargo.

o Registered Tons = Ship with Bunkers and Stores but no cargo.

o Thames Measurement = Length x Breadth x Draft x Some Magic Number(s) that bring the figure to an estimated displacement in tons.

There - not much help was it!!??

Best regards :eek:)

IanD
 

Shanty

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Joined
20 Jan 2002
Messages
770
Location
Scotland - Black Isle
I think what you are looking for is the displacement. The numbers you list are all estimates of volume, none of which will give you a reliable idea of displacement.

If you are planning to have the boat lifted by a crane in the near future, the crane driver should be able to give you a rough idea of the total weight he is lifting. This, adjusted for anything removed prior to the lift, will give you displacement.

Alternatively, you could try contacting Holman & Pye to see if they can help:

Holman & Pye Yacht Designers
21 City Road
West Mersea
Colchester
Essex
CO5 8NE
Tel: 01206 382478
Fax: 01206 382478
 

JonA

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Joined
1 Mar 2002
Messages
72
Re: Tons of confusion ?

The old Observer Book of Ships had a nice clear explanation of the various "tonnages". Gross and net regestered tonnages are measures of volume origionating from a "tun" that is a cask used to contain liquid and is now 2.83cu metres in new money. Displacement tonnages are the weights/masses of a vessel
at various states of loading given in tonnes. Deadweight tonnage is the difference in displacement empty and loaded, in a big ship this is more or less equivalent to the mass of cargoe on board in tonnes. It's all the fault of history.
 

Mirelle

Active member
Joined
30 Nov 2002
Messages
4,530
Not quite.

I am meant to know the answer, being in the business.

Let's see

Gross Tonnage - volume in cubic feet under the weather deck divided by 100

Nett Tonnage - ditto, less deductions for crew accomodation, propelling machinery and navigating spaces

These two derive from the mediaval tun of wine, which was about 100 cu.ft.

Displacement tonnage - what she weighs in air, i.e. the weight of water displaced when she floats.

Thames tonnage - l x B x 1/2B divided by 94 (originally a rating formula used by the Royal Thames Yacht Club, but actually a very good measure of the size of a cruising yacht)

Deadweight tonnage - the weight of cargo, fuel and stores that the ship can carry when floating at her Load Line. This is pretty irrelevant for yachts, which have neither cargo nor a Plimsoll Line (!) but your boat probably has a deadweight of about a ton anda half or so of crew, cruising gear and water.
 
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