Question 2136 Deck Safety

You are correct that the answer is A) lower than the center of gravity. In an unstable upright equilibrium position, the metacenter (the point at which the buoyancy force acts) is lower than the center of gravity of the vessel. This means that any small disturbance will cause the vessel to capsize or roll over, as the metacenter is not high enough to provide enough righting moment to counteract the destabilizing forces. The other options are incorrect because: B) the metacenter is not necessarily on the longitudinal centerline, C) the metacenter should not be at the same height as the center of gravity for stability, and D) the metacenter should be above the baseline, not below it.