Question

You are holding onto a 100 kg basket of fish hanging over the side of a boat. What is the minimum force in Newtons you need to exert to keep the basket from falling back down into the ocean?

Answer 1

F = ma = 9.8 * 100

Answer 2

Steve is right if the basket is above the ocean water level. If the basket is submerged, buoyancy forces reduce the force required.