This is something your ship does, list. Listing is titling to one side or another. This is a bad thing for any ship. Ships are designed to sit in the water with a list of zero. This will allow them to take waves while at sea and have every thing stay where it is supposed to stay.

If a ship takes damage that forces it to take on water then a list will start. We have all seem pictures of ships during WWII that are listing to one side or another. If the list becomes too severe it will cause the ship to capsize and sink. Counter flooding cam prevent this from happening. This is deliberately flooding another compartment in the ship opposite to the list to prevent the ship from turning over.

The USS Scott had a one degree list to port, our sister ship, USS Kidd had an one degree list to starboard. Engineers from the ship builders came on board to fond out why this was and they could not ever find a reason. When we were both in port and tied up next to on another t was strange to see us leaning toward each other.

While at see that extra one degree can then lead to all sorts of problems. The very top of the mast has a good deal of weight and being off center in heavy seas could end up with some bad effects.