Your vessel displaces 497 tons. The existing deck cargo has a center of gravity of 2.5 feet above the deck and weighs 24 tons. If you load 18 tons of ground tackle with an estimated center of gravity of 18 inches above the deck, what is the final height of the CG of the deck cargo?

Correct Answer: Option B — 2.07 feet

Calculating the final center of gravity requires taking moments about the baseline. Multiply each weight by its vertical arm, sum the moments (24 tons x 2.5 ft + 18 tons x 1.5 ft = 87 ft-tons), and divide by total cargo weight (42 tons) to yield 2.07 feet.