Why do ships use “port” and “starboard” instead of “left” and “right?”

Re:Why do ships use “port” and “starboard” instead of “left”... by closewith on Wednesday April 19, 2023 @08:37AM (#35627379)

There's port/starboard tack, where the wind is coming from the port/starboard side of the vessel. It can be confusing because, for example, if a boat on a port tack tacks to port, the result is a starboard tack (once the bow crosses the direction from which the wind is blowing).

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Re:Why do ships use “port” and “starboard” instead of “left”... by hgsgm on Wednesday April 19, 2023 @09:38AM (#35627987)

That has another ambiguity: in wind, directions are presumed to be naming the source of the wind, not the sink.

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Re:Why do ships use “port” and “starboard” instead of “left”... by bell-cot on Wednesday April 19, 2023 @12:46PM (#35630363)

After your first few hours on deck in foul weather, that one will seem obvious.

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