How do you remember....

[snowleopard]

...which is Port and which is Starboard?

Rather to my surprise, SWMBO who is decidedly non-boaty always gets it right. Today I discovered the reason. The galley (Pots & Pans) is to Port and the Shower to Starboard.

 

[Liz_I]

In the very early days it was left = 4 letters: port = 4 letters!
Therefore right had to be starboard /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[TiggerToo]

Port: red wine. Left (wing)....

But then I am a pinko and know these things!

How do you remember which way to "drive" down a channel?Like they do on the continent.

 

[jimi]

There's a little red port left in the bottle

 

[pampas]

Traditionaly Port wine decanters at sea were always passed to the left with the left hand . My Father (ex RN )always said that this was why Port was red and on the left. Standing by to to shot down.

 

[bbg]

I remember it by starboard being on the starboard side, and port being on the port side. In the same way you remember "up" as being "up", and "down" as being "down".
The lights are more complicated.
Somewhat counterintuitively, red is on the right. When I was rowing (sculling) the oars were set up for each side of the boat - one for port and one for starboard. I had to remember to take the oar with the Red tape in my Right hand. Now, to figure out the lights of a boat, I can only do it by thinking of looking aft.

 

[jhr]

"Even red port gets left in cans" (Number, colour, and shape of marker, all in one)

 

[elton]

Easy, like ZigmundoVanDog says.

Hard - explaining to someone who knows nothing about boats and is being deliberately argumentitive that it doesn't matter which way round you're standing.

 

[Whitty]

red port left in can

 

[robp]

My dad's variation; "The captain got drunk on the port that was left". Bit more drawn out admittedly.

 

[flipper]

Red, port, left - short words
Green, starboard, right - long words

Horns - 1st is right...as in 1 blast = turning to starboard

Patrick

 

[Twister_Ken]

I just know. Sometimes I find myself working it backwards - that's to port so it must be on my left.

 

[25931]

On board Equinoxe it´s easy-the lefthand rope to the sail is red, the right handhand one is green.
Jim

 

[jeremyshaw]

Well, we drive on the right and so the "steerboard" would be on the right, enabling you to park your vessel to port without crunching your steering oar. Obvious!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starboard for a fuller explanation.

Of course mainland Europeans managed to get it all muddled up at some point and put the steering wheels of their cars on the wrong side, but that's another whole can of wheels.

 

[snooks]

No red port left.

I know port is left and right is starboard....

I just have trouble remembering which is my left hand and which is right !!!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bosunof]

My wrist watch is left on my wrist.
For red, port, short words therefore longer are starboard and right
Sound signals SOPE Starboard odd (one) Port even (2) 3 "my engines are going astern" although the vessel may still be going ahead.

 

[snowleopard]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a little red port left in the bottle

[/ QUOTE ]

Now there is a fundamental difference between you and me Jimi. My version was 'There is no more red port wine left'.

Always finish what you start, especially if it comes in a bottle.

 

[lw395]

[ QUOTE ]
...which is Port and which is Starboard?

Rather to my surprise, SWMBO who is decidedly non-boaty always gets it right. Today I discovered the reason. The galley (Pots & Pans) is to Port and the Shower to Starboard.

[/ QUOTE ]
Be interesting on a different boat LW395's are t'other way around!
I am sort of ambidextrous and have a limited sense of left and right. Writing 'PORT' on the port side of the boom so you can see it on port tack helps!

 

[MacMan]

[ QUOTE ]
The galley (Pots & Pans) is to Port and the Shower to Starboard.

[/ QUOTE ]

But my shower is on the side that I always thought was Port. Do I have to do some replumbing or will everyone else be OK when I am the stand on vessel when they think I am not. What if I put a shower in both sides - that way I will always be on the Starboard tack right ?

If someone has no shower do they have to give way to everyone ?

Gives a whole new life to colregs discussions /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[snowleopard]

[ QUOTE ]
If someone has no shower do they have to give way to everyone ?

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know about that but I once had to inform a grumpy old git in a Mirror that I was happy to give way to him but he'd have to wait till my crew was off the bog before I could gybe the spinnaker.