Method and apparatus for calculating the payload on a water-borne vessel

An apparatus for calculating the mass of a payload introduced into a water-borne vessel comprising:

• a first sensor removably attachable to a first position of a water-borne vessel at a height above a waterline of the water floating the vessel, the sensor being capable of producing a first signal representative of the distance between a port position of the water-borne vessel and the waterline;
• a second sensor removably attachable to a second position of the water-borne vessel at height above a waterline of the water floating the vessel, the sensor being capable of producing a second signal representative of the distance between a starboard position of the water-borne vessel and the waterline;
• a third sensor removably attachable to a third position of the water-borne vessel at height above a waterline of the water floating the vessel, the sensor being capable of producing a third signal representative of the distance between a aft position of the water-borne vessel and the waterline;
• a fourth sensor removably attachable to a fourth position of the water-borne vessel at height above a waterline of the water floating the vessel, the sensor being capable of producing a fourth signal representative of the distance between a fore-position of the water-borne vessel and the waterline;
• and
• a processor that receives and processes the signals, the processor being capable of producing the volume and mass of the payload by comparing the draft of the vessel in an unloaded condition to a loaded condition.

A method for determining the mass of a payload introduced into a water-borne vessel comprising:

• removably attaching a plurality of sensors around the perimeter of the vessel at a height above a waterline of the water floating the vessel;
• generating height signals of the distance between each sensor and the waterline;
• generating the draft of the vessel from the signals;
• and
• comparing the generated draft of the vessel to a predetermined draft of the vessel without the payload to determine and display the mass of the payload.