Metacenter
A ship’s METACENTER (M) is the intersection of
two successive lines of action of the force of buoyancy,
as the ship heels through a very small angle.
Figure 12-22 shows two lines of buoyant force. One of
these represents the ship on even keel, the other at a
small angle of heel. The point where they intersect is
the initial position of the metacenter. When the angle of
heel is greater than the angle used to compute the
metacenter, M moves off the centerline and the path of
movement is a curve.