CFR > Title 46 - Shipping > CHAPTER I—COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY > SUBCHAPTER S—SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY (parts 170 to 174) > PART 170—STABILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL INSPECTED VESSELS > SUBPART B—Definitions (§170.050 to §170.055) > 170.055—Definitions concerning a vessel.

170.055—Definitions concerning a vessel.

(a) Auxiliary sailing vessel means a vessel capable of being propelled both by mechanical means and by sails.
(b) Barge means a vessel not equipped with a means of self-propulsion.
(c) Beam or B means the maximum width of a vessel from—
(1) Outside of planking to outside of planking on wooden vessels; and
(2) Outside of frame to outside of frame on all other vessels.
(d) Bulkhead deck means the uppermost deck to which watertight bulkheads and the watertight shell extend.
(e) Downflooding means, except as provided in § 174.035(b), the entry of seawater through any opening into the hull or superstructure of an undamaged vessel due to heel, trim, or submergence of the vessel.
(f) Documented alterations means changes to the vessel which are reflected in the approved stability information carried on board the vessel.
(g) Downflooding angle means, except as specified by §§ 171.055(f), 172.090(d), 173.095(e), 174.015(b), and 174.035(b)(2) of this chapter, the static angle from the intersection of the vessel's centerline and waterline in calm water to the first opening that cannot be closed watertight and through which downflooding can occur.
(h) Draft means the vertical distance from the molded baseline amidships to the waterline.
(i) Length means the distance between fore and aft points on a vessel. The following specific terms are used and correspond to specific fore and aft points:
(1) Length between perpendiculars (LBP) means the horizontal distance measured between perpendiculars taken at the forward-most and after-most points on the waterline corresponding to the deepest operating draft. For a small passenger vessel which has underwater projections extending forward of the forward-most point or aft of the after-most point on the deepest waterline of the vessel, the Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Center, may include the length or a portion of the length of the underwater projections in the value used for the LBP for the purposes of this subchapter. The length or a portion of the length of projections which contribute more than 2 percent of the underwater volume of the vessel is normally added to the actual LBP.
(2) Length overall (LOA) means the horizontal distance between the forward-most and after-most points on the hull.
(3) Length on the waterline (LWL) means the horizontal distance between the forward-most and after-most points on a vessel's waterline.
(4) Length on deck (LOD) means the length between the forward-most and after-most points on a specified deck measured along the deck, excluding sheer.
(5) Load line length (LLL) has the same meaning that is provided for the term length in § 42.13-15(a) of this chapter.
(6) Mean length is the average of the length between perpendiculars (LBP) and the length on deck (LOD).
(j) Lightweight means with fixed ballast and with machinery liquids at operating levels but without any cargo, stores, consumable liquids, water ballast, or persons and their effects.
(k) Main transverse watertight bulkhead means a transverse bulkhead that must be maintained watertight in order for the vessel to meet the damage stability and subdivision requirements in this subchapter.
(l) Major conversion, as applied to Great Lakes bulk carriers, means a conversion of an existing vessel that substantially changes the dimensions or carrying capacity of the vessel or changes the type of vessel or substantially prolongs its life or that otherwise so changes the vessel that it is essentially a new vessel.
(m) Permeability is the percentage of the volume of a space that can be occupied by water.
(n) Sailing vessel means a vessel propelled only by sails.
(o) Ship means a self-propelled vessel.
(p) Tank vessel means a vessel that is specially constructed or converted to carry liquid bulk cargo in tanks.
(q) Tank barge means a tank vessel not equipped with a means of self-propulsion.
(r) Tank ship means a tank vessel propelled by mechanical means or sails.
(s) Vessel means any vessel and includes both ships and barges.
(t) Weather deck means the uppermost deck exposed to the weather.
(u) Existing sailing school vessel means a sailing vessel whose keel was laid prior to (January 9, 1986), which has an application for initial inspection for certification as a sailing school vessel on file with the Coast Guard prior to (January 9, 1987), and whose initial inspection for certification is completed prior to (January 9, 1988).
(v) New sailing school vessel means a sailing school vessel which is not an existing sailing school vessel.
(w) Small passenger vessel means a vessel of less than 100 gross tons—
(1) Carrying more than 6 passengers, including at least one passenger for hire;
(2) That is chartered with the crew provided or specified by the owner or owner's representative and carrying more than 6 passengers;
(3) That is chartered with no crew provided or specified by the owner or owner's representative and carrying more than 12 passengers; or
(4) That is a submersible vessel carrying at least one passenger for hire.
[CGD 79-023, 48 FR 51010, Nov. 4, 1983, as amended by CGD 83-005, 51 FR 923, Jan. 9, 1986; 51 FR 3785, Jan. 30, 1986; CGD 80-159, 51 FR 33059, Sept. 18, 1986; 51 FR 35515, Oct. 6, 1986; CGD 89-037, 57 FR 41825, Sept. 11, 1992; CGD 82-004 and CGD 86-074, 60 FR 57671, Nov. 16, 1995; CGD 85-080, 61 FR 943, Jan. 10, 1996; 62 FR 49353, Sept. 19, 1997]