Why do ships use “port” and “starboard” as a substitute of “left” and “proper?”
Port facet of NOAA Ship Fairweather.
Since port and starboard by no means change, they’re unambiguous references which are impartial of a mariner’s orientation, and, thus, mariners use these nautical phrases as a substitute of left and proper to keep away from confusion. When wanting ahead, towards the bow of a ship, port and starboard check with the left and proper sides, respectively.
Within the early days of cruising, earlier than ships had rudders on their centerlines, boats have been managed utilizing a steering oar. Most sailors have been proper handed, so the steering oar was positioned over or via the precise facet of the stern. Sailors started calling the precise facet the steering facet, which quickly grew to become “starboard” by combining two Previous English phrases: stéor (that means “steer”) and bord (that means “the facet of a ship”).
As the dimensions of boats grew, so did the steering oar, making it a lot simpler to tie a ship as much as a dock on the facet reverse the oar. This facet grew to become generally known as larboard, or “the loading facet.” Over time, larboard—too simply confused with starboard—was changed with port. In spite of everything, this was the facet that confronted the port, permitting provides to be ported aboard by porters.
