helm on the starboard or the port side?

I do wish they would have called it something else. Port is confusing and starboard is too long on my label maker, so I have a bunch of stuff labeled Star something.

 

Hi mydauphin,
hehehe, - - Why not label the sides: - - left=red , - right=green and then all the uneducated sailors will know... (maybe?)

 

After a few hours in the sun and few drinks you just point to the side you want to go anyway . No I don't drink and boat, but sometime wished I did.

 

Unless they are red-green colorblind...

 

Actually that is not bad idea, I presently have my AC/DC wiring color coded. May be color coding fuel lines, and engine control lines.

 

In that case the labels will be a useful and necessary aid...

 

I don't think that anyone has mentioned yet that a good way to remember which light is on the port side is to remember that port is always red, at least I haven't ever drank any green port and neither had my flight instructor when he taught me this. I think that straight course keeping is helped by a central helm, but most right handed, right hand drivers probably prefer a starboard driving position purely because it feels more normal, but in Australia, you still have to get used to driving on the wrong side of the river(road) which feels odd. Having said that, the helm for my build will be in the centre, mostly for fishing convenience (with such a narrow beam of about 2m, it doesn't really make any difference).

Interestingly, most aircraft "captains" fly from the left hand seat whether the aircraft is behaving as a boat or a bird at the time. This is to give the pilot the best view out of the cockpit in the majority of situations. Most circuit directions are with turns to port and right of way situations also strive to keep the opposition on the port side where you can see them best. Aircraft have to obey maritime regulations when waterborne too - float planes and amphibious aircraft at least, probably not the accidently dunked ones.

 

Because they're stupid.

 

Again, helm to port places the skipper's view towards the "action" that may occur aboard and in direct line with port to port passing situations. It also feels natural to American drivers, used to left hand steering.

 

Dutch were the first seafaring nation?
Were they ??

(not challenging, just genuinly curious as to where did that statement come from)

 

Looks like Anna Kournikova, the russian tennis pro.

 

The Dutch weren't the first seafaring nation and everyone understands this, but many of the terms used by the Dutch, worked their way into western languages.

 

BAL (BALE or BULK)+ LAST (CARGO) is the Swedish word "ballast". For instance, a cargo vehicle (truck) IS A "LAST BIL".
At least I think so.

 

The 'bal' part of ballast isn't bale, it is 'bar/bare - mere, unimportant' - a load of no commercial value.

From the Danish - 14C 'barlast'.

Corrupted by the Dutch to balglast - belly-load.

 

Around here the fishing boats tend to have
the helm placed on the side they run gear from. this makes
less of a blind spot when coming up on a bouy ect.
Most people being right handed it is much easier
to work the gear with your right hand to the side while
facing fwd. so stbd side helm for longliners,
crabbers, seiners. the gillnet boats are the
exception for no other reason than somebody
decided to put the drive for the gillnet drum on the port
side. now that i think about it working the stern as they
do it would place your right hand aft. so theres my thoughts
sorry this is phone typed.