Mental exercise on a pitching bow

[David Patterson]

Some food for summer thought. In reading a sailor's writing, I found he causally mentioned the six basic motions of a sailboat. At first I could only come up with three. It was a good mental exercise for me. Finally I added the rare seventh motion...standing still. Kind of requires being on the hard. I started with pitch. A good mind exercise for a beginning sailor, even one in his fourth season with a boat, like me.

[Al Levesque]

Were they roll, pitch, and yaw? Sometimes we go forward, aft, to port, or to starboard. We also go up and down. Would all these be considered valid?

[Neil Gordon]

Is pitch poling a basic motion?

How about going whichever way it wants while I try steering in reverse?

Anchor dancing?

[JimMc]

I do remember my doctor telling me something about the importance of a daily bow movement, but I wasn't really paying a lot of attention.

[Neil Gordon]

Okay, I'll take a shot...

Pitch
Roll
Yaw
Forward
Reverse
Time

[David Patterson]

Al got the six that I could come up with (ignoring the rare and temporary one of standing still), those being: pitch, roll, yaw, forward/back, lateral, and vertical. The movements are about the center point of the boat and about one or another axis, I concluded. Neil made the delightful extension to outside of spatial dimensions, by including movement through time. Which accounts for the whole problem of the inevitable deterioration of boat and person, come to think of it. Great inclusion. The grace of a sailboat's motions derive from combining the six basic movements, I appreciate. With my boat dancing at the mooring, I have searched for the exact center point of all the motion. Sometimes successfully. Motion is far better when sailing, usually. But not when accomplishing a bow movement.

[Ben Coombs]

Here's some bow movement...
When reaching the mouth of the river a few weekends back we encountered a 2.5' swell, with a lively 1.5 wind chop on top of it. All bunching together to make a bumpy ride.

I went forward to hank on the jib. The bow was level with the water when it came down, and the upward motion practically gave me vertigo. Meanwhile our 15 month old son is napping in the vee... As we made the turn into the harbor Sam woke up, and instantly covered the cabin (and my wife) with all the milk he'd eaten before napping. We essentially used Sam's wee belly to churn butter, and apparently he didn't like it. After another blast into the cockpit, he was right as rain, and we went ashore to use the pool (at sebasco harbor resort) like nothing ever happened... That was some bow movement! Thankfully it's not regular.

A little off topic, but peripherally related... Kinda

[Ben Coombs]

Here's some bow movement...
When reaching the mouth of the river a few weekends back we encountered a 2.5' swell, with a lively 1.5 wind chop on top of it. All bunching together to make a bumpy ride.

I went forward to hank on the jib. The bow was level with the water when it came down, and the upward motion practically gave me vertigo. Meanwhile our 15 month old son is napping in the vee... As we made the turn into the harbor Sam woke up, and instantly covered the cabin (and my wife) with all the milk he'd eaten before napping. We essentially used Sam's wee belly to churn butter, and apparently he didn't like it. After another blast into the cockpit, he was right as rain, and we went ashore to use the pool (at sebasco harbor resort) like nothing ever happened... That was some bow movement! Thankfully it's not regular.

A little off topic, but peripherally related... Kinda

[Tod Mills]

Dean Martin holds the key to one in this song


SWAY

When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have the magic technique
When we sway I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have the magic technique
When we sway I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
You know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now

When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have the magic technique
When we sway I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have the magic technique
When we sway I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
You know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsgcXZzu6io

Six motions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_motions

[David Patterson]

Excellent reference. Thanks!