what side of a boat is starboard
Most sailors were right handed, so the steering oar was placed over or through the right side of the stern. Sailors began calling the right side the steering side, which soon became starboard by combining two Old English words: stÃ©or (meaning steer) and bord (meaning the side of a boat). As the size of boats grew, so did the steering oar, making it much easier to tie a boat up to a dock on the side opposite the oar. This side became known as larboard, or the loading side.. Over time, larboardâtoo easily confused with starboardâwas replaced with port.