A Visit to the Liberty Ship John W

Before paying the modest admission fee I took a look at the screw and rudder of the ship. The Plemsoll marks showed that the ship was riding high in the water but would draw much more water when fully laden.

Let's keep in mind that I could tell you everything I know about ships in the next few seconds. So if there is any severely botched information here please feel free to get in touch and set me straight. errol.groff@snet.net (June 2003)

Proving, once again, that there is a whole lot more in this world that I don't know about than there is that I do Dave Young, a Coast Guardsman of thirty years experience, has sent me the following information correcting my miscue in the first paragraph of this page.

Regarding the Liberty Ship visit you made in Baltimore and posted on the internet, I'm taking you up on your offer to correct you for information that you may have inadvertently gotten wrong. You mentioned the Plemsoll mark while showing the draft markings on the stern of the ship. The Plemsoll mark is located amidship and gives load limits for various types of water (i.e. salt, fresh, cold, tropical, etc). A good reference for this is at http://deepcreekyachtclub.com/WebPage/PlimsollMark.html.

Actually reading the draft markings takes some education also. The draft numbers are six inches high, six inches apart. So to read the draft, if the water is at (let's just use 6 as in six feet) the bottom of the 6, you have six feet of water underneath you. If the water is halfway up the six, you have six feet three inches under you. At the top of the six you have six feet six inches. Three inches under the 7 would be six feet nine inches, and of course just under the seven you have seven feet.

Thanks you Dave for taking the time to send this information. It is much appreciated.

While we are on the subject be it known that we deeply appreciate ALL the uniformed services for the job that they do protecting and defending our nation. Semper Paratus!