257. Fitness to encounter perils.

To be seaworthy a ship must, at the time of sailing, be in a fit state as to repairs, equipment and crew, and in all other respects, to encounter the ordinary perils of the voyage at the particular season in question1. She must, therefore, be tight, staunch and strong, and furnished with all necessary tackle and equipment2. She must not, for example, be leaky3, or insufficiently ballasted4, or furnished with defective propulsion5 or ground tackle6.

Even if a ship is technically fit at the moment of sailing, a latent defect existing at that time may still make her unseaworthy7. For