Boat Balance

[Bradyl]

I am new to this group and am in need of some help please. I am building a database for a boat company and require a formula for a calculation within the software.
Ok
We have a boat that’s 12 meters long.
There are 10 people situated in various positions down the centre of the boat from back to front.
All of their weights are different and will be supplied in kg’s.
All of their standing positions are different and will be supplied in meters from front/back or centre (whatever works).

Answer - is the boat leaning towards the front or the back and by how much?

I am assuming this is some type of see saw calculation and not as easy as front 5 weights - back 5 weights.

 

[Harry_the_cat]

Locate the centre of gravity of the boat (along its length).
Measure distance of each person from COG. (d)
Multiply each by their corresponding weight. (d times w)
For the people in front of the COG add up these "d times w" values
Do the same for all the people behind the COG.
Compare these values. The larger one will indicate which way the boat will tilt.
(Mathematical concept: "moments")

 

[Bradyl]

Thanks Harry_the_cat much appreciated.
What is the end result value? Is this end result a force or weight? Just trying to work out what an acceptable tilt will be.

 

[Harry_the_cat]

The end result is called a "moment". It's a force (kg wt) multiplied in this case, by a distance (metres). So the unit in this case will be kg wt metres.

(it is not a force or a weight.)

You can convert to Newton metres (Nm) or Nm (Newton metres) by multiplying by 9.8 approx.