Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
By Barbara McAllister
Word of the Day: Starboard
Starboard refers to the right side of a ship, when looking forward towards the front or bow. “Starboard” is used instead of calling it the right side because it’s a fixed orientation, regardless of where a sailor is standing. It prevents confusion and the ensuing conversation of “Not your right, the other right. My right!”
Long ago, sailors refer to the right side as the steering side, because early boats were steered by a steering oar until center rudders came along. Since most sailors were right-handed, the steering oar was on the right side as the sailor faced front. The Old English word for steer was steor and the side of a boat was bord, resulting in it eventually becoming “starboard.”
As boats got bigger, the steering oar was bigger and it was easier as a boat pulled into dock to maneuver to the side opposite the oar. It wouldn’t damage the steering oar and allowed the boat to be closer to the dock making it easier to load and unload when in the port. The side tied to the dock became known as the loading side or “larboard”. That was confusingly close to “starboard,” so the side towards the dock that faced the port naturally became known as the port side.
