as a very slow typer asked to explain a very big subject on a thread that was started to give some a real heads up that the lakes might continue to jump higher next year and many more years to come.
well. some thoughts: the seaway controllers have need to consider all vessels. some well designed, some not so much. hayden's video shows the old tube of a sailing vessel that is twin screw with no thrust going past the rudder. very squirrelly.
big ships, single screw might have a propellor 20' in diameter pushing its thrust past the rudder. ships steer by controlling their thrust. no thrust, no control by the rudder, unlike our sailboats. as any vessel goes throw the water it has to divide the water, allow the water to pass the hull and then bring the water back together. well with say two feet under the hull the water can no longer go under the hull and most of it now has to go around it. the hull will start "grabbing the bottom" or so it feels. in a channel a big vessel will act like it's in a tight canal as it works the water around it. other considerations are the underwater erosion of channels and shore lines. by adding more speed through the water to maintain ground speed the forces of the hull water displacement and increased thrust by huge props mays well do allot of surface damage to a dredged channel and/or the neighboring shore line.
those are just a few thought to give a wider view of whats going on with ships.
but with that said. ships handle just the same as little vessels handle. different shapes give different rides. it's just exponentially slower.
if any of you want to experience what it's like driving a big ship, i'll tell you how. take a 30' pontoon boat with all the sofas and living room gear, surrey top too, load it up to the max , or even more, with all your friends, and put a 2hp engine on it and go out on a windy day. then go try and make some docks. it will be a hoot