ABSTRACT

Boats rock, bob, and weave in complicated ways as they respond to the wind, the waves, and the person holding the tiller. To make sense of this, three kinds of angular motion are distinguished. Roll is side-to-side tipping. Extreme roll leads to capsize. Pitch corresponds to rotation where the bow lifts and falls. Extreme pitch leads to an especially exciting summersault version of capsize called a “pitch poll.” Yaw is a change in direction. Often one thinks of yaw as the unintentional variation in direction caused by waves and the wind. Too much roll, pitch, and yaw results in discomfort and sea sickness.