I always remember that port and left both are the shorter word, and have the same number of letters.
Also, the old name for “port” is “larboard”, which starts with an L for left.
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.
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.
Do we have any red port wine left?
Starbucks is always on the right side of the road!
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.
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.
Is the joke here that it would be embarrassing for the captain to forget this?
Yes.
I always picture a drunken sailor asking how much port is left. It works for me.
Okay that’s infuriatingly clever… I’m going to have to use that.
“Red right returning”. You must be leaving port.
But the red on your boat is always port.
Maybe this one’s at the stern?
The white light goes on the stern.
I remember being young taking my boaters safety course and having to take this section over three times. Why does left and right stop existing once you are on a floating pos?
