Ship motions

Ship motions are defined by the six degrees of freedom that a ship, boat or any other craft can experience.

Translation

Heave

is the linear vertical (up/down) motion

Sway

is the linear lateral (side-to-side) motion

Surge

is the linear longitudinal (front/back) motion

Rotation axes

Vertical axis

Vertical axis, or yaw axis — an axis drawn from top to bottom, and perpendicular to the other two axes. Parallel to the fuselage station.

Yaw axis is a vertical axis through an aircraft, rocket, or similar body, about which the body yaws; it may be a body, wind, or stability axis. Also known as yawing axis.

The yaw axis is defined to be perpendicular to the body of the wings with its origin at the center of gravity and directed towards the bottom of the aircraft. A yaw motion is a movement of the nose of the aircraft from side to side. The pitch axis is perpendicular to the yaw axis and is parallel to the body of the wings with its origin at the center of gravity and directed towards the right wing tip. A pitch motion is an up or down movement of the nose of the aircraft. The roll axis is perpendicular to the other two axes with its origin at the center of gravity.

Lateral axis

Lateral axis, transverse axis, or pitch axis — an axis running from the pilot's left to rightThe lateral axis passes through the plane from side to side. Rotation about this axis is called pitch. Pitch changes the vertical direction the aircraft's nose is pointing. The elevators are the...
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