What is pitch?

• A. The boat's vertical motion up and down
• B. The angle of the propeller blades
• C. The boat's forward speed
• D. The direction of travel

Answer: (A)

Pitch is the boat's vertical motion up and down about a horizontal axis running side to side, meaning the bow rises or lowers and the stern does the opposite. This fore-and-aft tilt describes how the vessel moves in the vertical plane, not how fast it travels or which direction it's headed. The angle of the propeller blades relates to propulsion, not the boat’s tilt; forward speed is how fast the boat is moving, and the direction of travel is where it’s headed. So pitch is best understood as the vertical tilting motion of the bow and stern.