[ichabod1]

That is really interesting. It had never occurred to me that a vessel rides significantly higher in the winter than in the summer. Would it follow they can also carry more cargo in winter?

[LonePalm]

Would it follow they can also carry more cargo in winter?

When you say 'more cargo' I assume you mean mass vice volume.

Generally, the answer would be yes. Practically, the answer would be no. Ships are designed for a particular purpose. That purpose defines where certain important points are like center of buoyancy and center of gravity.

Depending on where you add it, more mass can either increase or decrease stability. No captain is keen on reducing his ship's stability beyond a certain point.

Hope this helps.

WWG1WGA

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)