Metacentric height without the equations

A ship's center of gravity and the center of its displaced volume provide the starting points for the stability diagram. The diagram follows how the buoyancy line changes as the ship heels, using the metacenter to discuss rolling behavior. Hull shape affects the movement of buoyancy, while the location of weight changes the center of gravity. Added topweight can alter the ship's stability. A ship described as stable can still roll enough for topside movement and water entering the hull to be concerns. This is a visual rule-of-thumb explanation; it does not derive a metacentric-height calculation.