AJS SQUAT

Squat is the decrease in under-keel water, that is, the difference between her under-keel clearence when
making way and when stopped over the water, It is not the increase in draft as visually read or as shown
on draft indicators.

Bernoulli’s theorem states that in any moving fluid, the sum of the potential energy, the kinetic
energy and the pressure energy is a constant. The fact that the ship is floating in that water does not
alter the level or height of water there. Therefore the potential energy of that water is unchanged.
As the vessel makes way through the water, she leaves behind a hollow in the water flows aft, its
kinetic energy increases. According to Bernoulli’s theorem, when the kinetic energy of the water
increases, it’s pressure energy must reduces. Since the ship is supported by the pressure energy of
the water, as the pressure energy has reduced, the ship sinks to a longer draft.

In addition to the bodily sinkage that occurs, the ship also trims by the head or by the stern. With a
static even keel trim, full form vessels such as tankers and bulk carries with C b more than 0.7 trim by
the head. Fine form vessels such as passenger ships and containers vessels with C b less than 0.7 trim
by the stern. The overall decrease in under keel clearence due to sinkage and trim is the squat
forward or aft.

The factors that affect the amount of squat are

1) The ships speed over the water
 The squat varies approximately directly as the speed over the water in knots squared.
 Squat occurs even when the ship is moored, if a tide is running.
 As stated under the chapter on draft surveys, this should be taken into account when
conducting draft surveys.
 Also, when loading to a particular draft, squat could result in under loading if the drafts
are read when a tide is running.
2) The block coefficient, Cb
 The squat varies directly as the Cb. The Cb values generally vary from about 0.85 for very
large tankers to about 0.75 for bulkers, about 0.7 for general cargo vessels to about 0.6 or
less for passenger vessels and container ships.
3) The blockage factor, S
 The blockage factor, S, is the ratio between the immersed cross sectional are of the vessel
and the cross sectional area of the water in the canal.
S = b x Static draft
B X depth of water
where
‘b’ is the breadth of the ship and
‘B’ is the width of the canal.
 Even in open waters, this factor is to be considered using the width of influence ‘B’ in
place of the width of the canal B.
 The width of influence ‘B’ in open waters is obtained as
‘B’ = [ 7.7 + 20 (1-Cb)2] b
where ‘b’ is the breadth of the ship.

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
The ‘B’ value in open waters varies from about 8 b for large tankers to about 9.5 b for
general cargo vessels to about 12 b for container and passenger ships.
 In open waters where the depth of water to draft of ship ratio is about 1.2, the value of the
blockage factor S will be around 0.1.
4) The static under keel clearance
 The lesser the under-keel clearance, the more is the squat because the stream lines of
return flow aft of the water, past the vessel increases due to the reduced clearance under
the vessel.
 This increases the kinetic energy and therefore further reduces the pressure energy of the
water.
 Thus as the ratio of depth of water to draft to ship reduces, the squat increases.
5) The at rest trim of the vessel
 The squat at the bow increases to a greater extant if her at rest trim was by the head.
 The squat at the stern will increase to a greater extent if her at rest trim was by the stern.
The calculated maximum squat should therefore be applied to the greater of the two end
drafts to obtain the minimum under keel clearance.
6) Passing another ship in a river or canal
 When the ship is passing or overtaking another vessel in a river or canal, the squat can
increase upto twice the normal value as the combined blockage factor, S, becomes the
sum of the blockage factor of each ship.
7) The squat increases if the ship is close to the bank of a river or canal.
 Various empirical formulae have been suggested for estimating the maximum squat.
 As there are so many variables and so many factors, the exact values of which may not be
readily available, none of the formulae are likely to provide absolutely accurate squat
values.
 However, from the analysis of many measured squat values on ships and results of ship
model tests some empirical formulae have been developed for satisfactorily estimating
the maximum squat is confined and one waters.
 Obviously the squat is greater in confined waters and lesser in open waters.
 For a vessel at an even keel static trim when the ratio of the depth of water to the draft of
ship is in the range of 1.1 to 1.4, the maximum squat in open or confined waters may be
predicted fairly accurately by either of the expressions:-

(i) Maximum squat = Cb x S0.81 x V2.08

20
or
(ii) Maximum squat = Cb x S2 2/3 x V2.08

30
where ‘S2’ = S / ( 1-S) = AS / (AC - AS)

in the above expressions:

‘S’ is the blockage factor.
‘V’ is the ship’s speed over the water in knots.
‘S2’ is the velocity return factor.

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‘As’ is the immersed cross sectional area of the ship.

‘Ac’ is the cross sectional area of the water in the canal.

Other approximate formulae are:-

1) Maximum squat in open waters = Cb x V2
100
2) Maximum squat in confined waters ( Where S is between 0.1 and 0.265) = Cb x V2
50

Both the above approximate formulae slightly over estimates the maximum squat thereby erring
on the safer side.

Indication that the ship is in shallow waters include

(i) Wave making by the ship, especially forward, increases.

(ii) Manoeuvring becomes sluggish.
(iii) The propeller RPM reduces.
(iv) The ship’s speed over the water reduces.
(v) Stopping distances and time increases.
(vi) The diameter of the turning circle increases to a great extent.
(vii) Rolling and pitching reduces.
(viii) The ship may start to vibrate.

At this point, a consideration may arise as to the depth of water, which can be considered shallow. This
depends on the depth of influence of the ship, which is approximately 5/C b x draft. In depths above the
depth of influence the ship may be considered in shallow waters. Since the depth of influence is more
than 5 times the draft, though the ship’s squat may commence to increase slightly at such depths it is not
of much consequence. The increase in squat is significant when the depth to draft ratio is less than 2. It
is much more pronounced and of consequence when this ratio is less than 1.5. The best course of action
to reduce squat is to reduce the ship’s speed, because the squat varies directly as the ship’s speed
squared. Halving the speed will reduce the squat to a quarter. However, the fact that manoeuvring which
is already sluggish in shallow waters may deteriorate further should also be considered when reducing
the speed.