Stability of Sailing Vessels

The Wolfson Unit developed the stability criteria and methods of assessment for UK sailing vessels in 1989, and the original report to the Department of Transport gives a full description of the work involved.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the 'Sailing Training Vessel Stability Research' report, please contact the Wolfson Unit.

The methods were developed for yachts and small ships of less than 24 metres. Since that time the same methods have been incorporated into the MCA Large Yacht Code, and have been applied to much larger yachts. A study was conducted to address concerns that the methods may not be applicable to very large yachts. The hazards, and how they are affected by size, were considered, together with the influence that modern rigs, materials and systems might have on safety.

Research into Stability Criteria for Large Sailing Vessels. (PDF, 8.3MB)