This week, Carol of Jacksonville, Fla., asked, "I have a hard time remembering the nautical terms for the right and left side of the boat. I know one is the port side. Which side is port, and what is the other side called?"
The left side of the boat is called the "port" side, while the right side is referred to as the "starboard" side. The front of the boat is called the" bow," and the back is called the "stern."
Don't have it fully committed to memory yet? Fear not. Here's a few tips to help you remember the most popular nautical terms associated with boating:
BOW. No matter which way the boat is facing, always look to the front of the boat as the bow. This is the pointy part of the boat. Think of it as if you were bowing before a crowd after a great stage performance, or a martial artist bowing to his or her opponent. When one bows, the motion is forward. So the bow of a boat is forward.
STERN. The back of the boat is called the stern. This is the flat side of the boat that houses the motor. My personal way to remember: I recall growing up with a father who was very stern, and when I got in trouble it was a belt, paddle or hand that connected with my backside. So I associate "stern" with the back.
PORT. Standing on a boat looking forward toward the bow, you'll have a right and left side. The left is the "port" side. Think of it this way: L-E-F-T is spelled with four letters. The word P-O-R-T is also spelled with four letters. So match up the two four-letter words (not expletives in this case) and you've got a good way to tell your port side. Obviously by default, that makes the right side the "starboard" side.
STARBOARD. The right side of the boat is called the starboard side. Of the four terms, this is the hardest to recall"¦and the one most people forget. For me, it's a matter of process of elimination. Since I associate the front and back of the boat with a particular action, and the spelling of the left side matches up with the spelling of port, all that's left is two big words. While most of us don't consider "right" a big word, it's bigger than "left," and to be honest, it's best strategy I can muster for new people that wish to learn the correct nautical terms for the sides of a boat. So remember: Right equals "starboard."
Two other popular terms often associated with the boat's direction are "forward" and "aft." If someone says "move forward" or "store the ice chest forward," then that means toward the bow. This is fairly simple if you think of it as moving toward the front. How far forward depends on the boat and the person dishing up the orders. Forward simply means toward the bow.
"Aft" is the opposite of forward; it means toward the stern. The term "aft" actually comes from the word after. What comes after the front? The back! Or, in boaters' terms, the stern. So, to move "aft" on a boat is to move toward the back.
Where the terms "bow" and "stern" identify very specific places at the front tip of the boat or at the very rear, the terms "forward" and "aft" simply means the boat's front or back halves.
If you're interested in learning more nautical terms or even printing out a complete list to keep onboard, visit the Glossary of Terms page on DiscoverBoating.com.
The Boating Guy answers all kind of questions. To give it a try, visit DiscoverBoating.com. You'll receive an answer in a day or two, and who knows -- your question and answer may just end up in this blog!
