• Inductor@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    I always remember that port and left both are the shorter word, and have the same number of letters.

    • Stamets@startrek.websiteOP
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      1 year ago

      Honestly, yeah. That’s what I relied on as well and what was taught to me. Also what I then taught to the people under me. I have no other real way of understanding it. I know why we use port/starboard but I’ve never looked into why port/starboard are the words we’ve stuck with.

      • WarmSoda@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        That’s easy. We use ‘port’ because that’s the left side, and ‘starboard’ because that’s the other side of the boat.

        No, no. No need to thank me. I’m just one humble man trading information gleaned from a long life of learning.

      • aulin@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        IIRC, it was because the tiller for the rudder (with which you steer) was on the right side. (Styrbord in Swedish = steer board) As to why you have port in English, I have no idea. It’s babord in Swedish, from bakbord (back board) as when steering, the left side was behind you.

        Edit: Apparently it’s port because you’d dock with the left side to the port as otherwise you’d crush the rudder, which again was on the right.

    • rob64@startrek.website
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      1 year ago

      My grandfather was a bomber pilot and he always remembered it by picturing himself flying north along the east coast, where all the ports would be on the left.

    • Kind@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      and even, as in even numbers.

      Port, left, even…all words an even number of letters Starboard, right, odd…all words are an odd number of letters.