Which statement about turning motion is correct?

Which statement about turning motion is correct?

• A. Bow leads the turn; stern sweeps wider.
• B. Turn is symmetrical.
• C. Stern is initialized to turn first; stern has greater arc.
• D. Bow turns first; stern lags.

Answer: (C)

Turning begins with the stern because the rudder’s sideways force acts near the stern, creating the yaw that starts the rotation. This stern-initiated yaw makes the hull pivot so that the stern swings through a larger arc while the bow follows, gradually aligning with the new heading. In other words, the stern starts the turn and travels a wider path than the bow. The other ideas—bow leading the turn, the turn being symmetrical, or the bow turning first with the stern lagging—don’t match how the rudder-driven yaw actually develops in a typical maneuver.

Turning begins with the stern because the rudder’s sideways force acts near the stern, creating the yaw that starts the rotation. This stern-initiated yaw makes the hull pivot so that the stern swings through a larger arc while the bow follows, gradually aligning with the new heading. In other words, the stern starts the turn and travels a wider path than the bow. The other ideas—bow leading the turn, the turn being symmetrical, or the bow turning first with the stern lagging—don’t match how the rudder-driven yaw actually develops in a typical maneuver.