Something to put your hat on or the Bog

Boat terms often have a very interesting history, words like starboard go back to Viking days - obviously it has evolved a bit. But as others have posted the terminology was developed to avoid confusion. Bear in mind these words were in use when people were braving the high seas in small sailing ships in storms etc. Professional seafarers really have to know what they are doing and be able to do automatically in all conditions.
Get something wrong and you all died pretty quick.
 
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