this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
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Actually had one of these on my boat when I was growing up. Vital piece of tech. (startrek.website)
submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 17 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (5 children)

Historically, boats had rudders (or “steer boards”) along the side of the ship instead of in the middle like we’d see them today. It was always on the right side of the boat, so to avoid smashing your rudder into the dock, you’d dock your ship on the other side. That means it was always the left side that literally faced the port, while starboard faced out into open water to protect that side from damage.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

TIL about steer boards, thanks!

medieval ships, lots of which have steer boards

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Same!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

rudders (or “steer boards”)

The "board" part comes from "side of a ship", as in "the board where the steer is attached".

Same meaning as in "going over-board".

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Steer board => star board?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

"From Middle English sterbord, stere-bourd, stere-burd, from Old English stēorbord, from Proto-West Germanic *steurubord, equivalent to steer +‎ board (“side (of a ship)”), referring to ancient ships with the steering oar set to the right (to accommodate right-handed crew)"

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/starboard

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Correct. Sailors aren’t known for their diction lol

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Maybe. Others have said that when in port the starboard side of the ship is where you would see start out at sea - the port side facing the bright city.

A lot of this is partially lost to history and a guess. I am not enough of a historian to know what the truth is.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Port used to be larboard. I'm sure that wasn't at all confusing.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

whaat.

This makes so much sense.