There are a number of different terms for the motions and rotations you may encounter on the water, like pitch and heave. If you were describing a boat’s wobble around a vertical axis, which word would you use?
A) Sway
B) Yaw
C) Roll
D) Surge
There are a number of different terms for the motions and rotations you may encounter on the water, like pitch and heave. If you were describing a boat’s wobble around a vertical axis, which word would you use?
A) Sway
B) Yaw
C) Roll
D) Surge
Lydia Mullan is the editor-in-chief of SAIL magazine and Multihull Power and Sail. In her eight years with SAIL, she has published over 450 articles, including marine journalism’s best adventure essay in both 2023 and 2024, as recognized by Boating Writers International. She was also the race commentator for the 2025 Transpac and 2025 Marblehead-Halifax, a 2024 Magenta Project graduate, and the media manager for Cole Brauer’s viral circumnavigation.
