New Design & Consulting
Tad Roberts Yacht Design

Introduction: Transport Canada Stability Booklets, ORC Stability Letters, Building to ISO Stability Standards

• Preparing the Stability Booklet

  Every vessel carrying passengers for hire in Canada must meet Transport Canada requirements for Passenger Vessels. Requirements include some form of stability study which may include the preparing of a stability booklet. These vary depending on the vessel size, voyage class, number of passengers carried, and experience of the master and crew. In many cases older vessels are brought into passenger carrying with little or no documentation. I am often requested to facilitate and research these vessels, and prepare the necessary documents. This may involve a simple roll timing experiment, coupled with a 3D computer model to arrive at basic stability characteristics for any vessel. Or it may require extensive measurements of a hull, creation of computer models, and damaged stability studies prior to developing a complete stability booklet as required by TC. Canadian vessels carrying more than 12 passengers will require a damaged stability study and this involves establishing watertight bulkheads to control flooded trim and stability.

• Stability Booklet Testimonials

  Dear Tad,
  Just to say thanks again for your help. Without your expertise and support there is no way we would have got this done so quick. We can recommend anyone who has to get an existing or new vessel through the certification process to secure your services, as they are money well spent and result in big savings and hassles in the long run.
  Kind Regards, Joanne and John Van Strien
  Sail Training Vessel, Western Grace

  Tad,
  Thanks for your great service on this project. David e-mailed me and the boat perfomed perfectly.
  Eric Duncan, Lifetimer Boats

• Tad On Understanding Stability Studies

  Right, there is no point worrying about this, the boat is built. But knowledge is power and the more you know about your boat the better your decisions can be......Thus your plans for a rooftop hot-tub may require reconsideration.... This is one of my main points in this exercise, real world is different than theoretical, and it shows the folly of taking seriously stability curves based on published numbers. The good part is that an increase in displacement increases stability....... Stability Study for a Bolger Windermere

• Read more on the Stability Studies page >>

• 
  Stability model prepared for an Ocean Racing Stability Letter

• Learn More About Our Stability Studies

  • Case Study for Ocean Racing Stability Letter

    Today all vessels entering offshore races are required by ORC (Ocean Racing Club) rules to meet a minimum LPS (Limit of Positive Stability). >>

  • Case Study for Small Passenger, Commercial Fishing, Sail Training Vessel Stability Booklets

    Transport Canada Stability Booklets for the 68' commercial vessel to both fishing vessel and small passenger vessel regulations >>

  • Case Study for Building to Complying with TC and ISO Stability Standards

    Case Study for TC Approval to ISO 12217-1 and ISO 11812. Canada is in the process of adopting ISO standards for small craft stability, construction, safety, etc. >>

• Some Of My Blog, Forum Posts, And Seminars On Stability

  • Fritzi Ann and the Stability of Fishboats, blog.tadroberts.ca

  • The Typical Powerboat is Not Seaworthy, blog.tadroberts.ca

  • On Troller Stability, boatdesign.net

  • Stability Study for a Bolger Windermere, Stability Study for a Bolger Windermere cont'd and Stability Study for a Bolger Windermere last posts, WoodenBoat Forum

  • Vessel Stability: Myths and Reality, All-day Seminar, 2011