Answer
The freeboard influences the following characteristics of the ship
1.Dryness of the Deck, which is always desirable on the following counts.
a)Walking in a wet Deck can be dangerous
b)As a safety measure against water entering through Deck openings c)To prevent violent seas banging in to the superstructure and damaging it.
2.Reserve buoyancy in damaged condition (Residual buoyancy)
a)Intact stability – the characteristics of the righting arm curve
b)Damaged Stability