Information AboutStarboard |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT STARBOARD | |
| nautical terms | |
| orientation | |
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The origin of term comes from old boating practices. Before ships had rudders on their centerline, they were steered by use of a specialized oar. This oar was held by a sailor located towards the Stern (back) of the ship. However, like most of the rest of society, there were many more Right-handed sailors than Left-handed sailors. This meant that the right-handed sailors holding the steering oar (which had been broadened to provide better control) used to stand on the right side of the ship. The word ''starboard'' comes from Old English ''steorbord'', literally meaning the side on which the ship is steered. The old English term ''steorbord'' descends from the Old Norse words ''stýri'' meaning “rudder” and ''borð'' meaning “side of a ship”. Similarly, the term for the left side of the boat, '' Port '', is derived from the practice of sailors Mooring on the left side (i.e., the larboard or loading side) as to prevent the steering boards from being crushed. Because the words ''larboard'' and ''starboard'' sounded too similar to be easily distinguished, ''larboard'' was changed to ''port''. The starboard side of most naval vessels the world over is designated the 'senior' side. The officers' gangway or sea ladder is shipped on this side and this side of the quarterdeck is reserved for the captain. The flag or pennant of the ship's captain or senior officer in command is generally hoist on the starboard yard. RIGHT OF WAY FOR SAIL-POWERED CRAFT When the wind is on the starboard side of a sailing vessel, i.e. blowing ''from'' the right, the boat would be defined as ''on starboard tack''. As a rule, sailing vessels on starboard tack have right of way over sailing vessels on port tack, unless circumstances prevent the vessel on port tack from giving way. See International Regulations For Preventing Collisions At Sea . RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR OTHER VESSELS Consider two ships on courses that intersect. The rule is that the ship on the left must give way. The ship with Right-of-way sees the Green light on the starboard (right) side of the ship on the left. The ship that must yield right of way sees the Red light on the port side on the ship on the right. This was likely the beginning of the convention for Traffic Light s that use Red to mean stop and Green to mean go. It would also be true that if the oarsman with the steering oar is on the right side of the ship, the oarsman on the port tack can see the red light of the ship on the starboard tack better than vice versa. While fanciful, regulations regarding the right of starboard tack vessels over port tack vessels are derived from yacht racing rules and are a rather recent convention. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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