How to Create a Plimsoll Line in MS Word
The plimsoll line, or water line, is a mark or is a set of lines painted on the side of a ship that indicates the maximum safe loading depth depending upon cargo, location and season. For example, there are two separate lines at different depths for lumber in tropical water and fresh water because the salt content of the water affects the vessel's flotation. You can draw a plimsoll line in MS Word using the "Shapes" tool.
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Instructions
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Click on "Insert" > "Shapes" in Word 2007 or "Drawing" > "Autoshapes" in Word 2003.
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Click on the circle shape with your mouse, then click on the area in the document where you would like the circle to be centered. Drag the mouse until your circle is the desired size, then release.
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Click on the "Line" shape on the "Shapes" menu, then click on the circle. Drag your mouse to create a horizontal line just bigger than the circle. Release the mouse. Click on the line to move it, then center it on the circle.
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Click on the text box at the top of the shapes menu, then click on the Word document slightly to the left of the plimsoll symbol you just created. Click on the text box, then enter "A" in the box. Repeat this process for the right side of the plimsoll line, this time entering "B" instead of "A".
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Click on the "line" symbol and make one vertical line about 1/4 inch to the right of the plimsoll symbol and another about 1/4 inch to the left of the symbol.
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Divide the two vertical lines into the desired number of segments. The number of load lines you need will depend upon the type of ship, the cargo it carries and where the ship is expected to sail. A sample plimsoll line might have load lines on the left for Lumber, Tropical, Fresh (LTF); Lumber, Fresh (LF); Lumber, Tropical (LT); Lumber, Summer (LS); Lumber, Winter (LW); Lumber, Winter, North Atlantic (LWNA). On the right you might have Tropical Fresh Water Mark (TF); Fresh Water Mark (F); Tropical Load Line (T); Summer Load Line (S); Winter Load Line (W) and Winter, North Atlantic (WNA).
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Tips & Warnings
Sometimes a plimsoll symbol (the circle with a line through it) may be all you need for a plimsoll line, if the ship has simple sailing requirements. In that case, you could make a plimsoll symbol by typing a capital "O" on your keyboard, highlighting it and clicking on "strikethrough" on the "Home" tab.
