How to remember Port & Starboard

[d9704011]

20 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

While you are correct that the left side of the ship is always port, if I'm facing aft and pointing to port, I use my right hand, so port is not always "to your left", and there in lies the distinction.  Your two sentences even make the distinction:  "port is to the left", and "left side of the ship".

A lot of focus on left and right in this thread.  I know you’ve stated before that port is defined as the side of the ship located on an observor’s LHS when facing forward and staboard is on the RHS.  So, once they are defined and understood as the two sides of the ship’s structure there is no ambiguity.  So, back to the left and right business....  what if a person is standing in the ship’s casino engrossed in the flashing of lights and ringing of bells without the benefit of windows to help him/her determine which direction he is currently facing?  If he is facing towards the port side then port is ahead of him and starboard is behind him; the whole left/right business is useless.  As you wrote ‘.... port is not always “to your left”....’.  Now, let’s see if the OP has the determination to take on the ideas of floors, ceilings and walls (decks, deckheads and bulkheads).

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

15 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

The whole "port is to the left when facing forward" thing never made sense to me.  The left side of the ship is still the left side of the ship, no matter which way you're facing.  

Exactly!

[navybankerteacher]

19 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

The whole "port is to the left when facing forward" thing never made sense to me.  The left side of the ship is still the left side of the ship, no matter which way you're facing.  

Forget ships for the moment, and think about a pair of shoes on a counter you might be looking at in a shoe store. If the heels of the shoes are facing you,  the right shoe is on your right.  If the toes of the shoes are facing you, the right shoe is on your left.

 

Yet, the left shoe is still the left shoe, no matter which way you’re facing.

[clo]

9 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Forget ships for the moment, and think about a pair of shoes on a counter you might be looking at in a shoe store. If the heels of the shoes are facing you,  the right shoe is on your right.  If the toes of the shoes are facing you, the right shoe is on your left.

 

Yet, the left shoe is still the left shoe, no matter which way you’re facing.

I'm amazed that this topic has garnered 54 (now 55 thanks to me) replies. If this is difficult for someone I really hope they're never turned loose in a big city.

[navybankerteacher]

52 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm amazed that this topic has garnered 54 (now 55 thanks to me) replies. If this is difficult for someone I really hope they're never turned loose in a big city.

How do you feel about lanyards?

[clo]

2 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

How do you feel about lanyards?

Wash your mouth out with soap!  You will never see me with one.  Or, if you do, you'll know that aliens have taken over my body.  (Am I clear enough????)  🙂

[Aquahound]

10 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

While you are correct that the left side of the ship is always port, if I'm facing aft and pointing to port, I use my right hand, so port is not always "to your left", and there in lies the distinction.  Your two sentences even make the distinction:  "port is to the left", and "left side of the ship".

 

I guess this is the Coastie in me.  I have a hard time believing someone wouldn't know which side of the ship is the left side without having to throw in the whole "when facing forward" bit.  

 

Edited August 17, 2019 by Aquahound

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

19 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

I guess this is the Coastie in me.  I have a hard time believing someone wouldn't know which side of the ship is the left side without having to throw in the whole "when facing forward" bit.  

 

Agreed. If a person does not understand the ships left side is port. No matter how you are facing. The ships left side is the ships left side not your left. They need help in more ways then one. 

[broberts]

Amazing how myopic some can be, assuming everyone has the same life experiences and knowledge.

[Cruzaholic41]

43 minutes ago, broberts said:

Amazing how myopic some can be, assuming everyone has the same life experiences and knowledge.

 

Knowing left from right is based on life experience and knowledge?  Really?

 

🙄

[broberts]

10 minutes ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

 

Knowing left from right is based on life experience and knowledge?  Really?

 

🙄

 

Don't try to change the subject. The discussion is about port and starboard, not left and right. Were they the same thing I suspect mariners would not have invented port and starboard in the first place. Nor would they have continued to use them to this day.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

myopic! Really?

[clo]

4 hours ago, twodaywonder said:

Agreed. If a person does not understand the ships left side is port. No matter how you are facing. The ships left side is the ships left side not your left. They need help in more ways then one. 

We took our first cruise almost 20 years ago and learned this and haven't needed to be reminded.  I've gotten a little turned around on ships but always knew p&s.  I worry about people traveling without caretakers.

Edited August 18, 2019 by clo

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, clo said:

We took our first cruise almost 20 years ago and learned this and haven't needed to be reminded.  I've gotten a little turned around on ships but always knew p&s.  I worry about people traveling without caretakers.

There is an additional connection which helps on some ships: “port” and “left” both have an even number of letters, and the cabins on the port (left) side on ships with traditional numbering (Cunard and HAL for example) have even numbers; while “starboard” and “right” both have an odd number of letters and the cabins on the starboard side have odd numbers.  This, together with the fact that cabin numbers get higher as you go from bow aft, make it fairly simple to orient yourself on any passenger cabin deck.

 

This does not work on NCL or Royal Caribbean ships - but getting oriented might not be your only concern on their ships.

[clo]

13 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

There is an additional connection which helps on some ships: “port” and “left” both have an even number of letters, and the cabins on the port (left) side on ships with traditional numbering (Cunard and HAL for example) have even numbers; while “starboard” and “right” both have an odd number of letters and the cabins on the starboard side have odd numbers.  This, together with the fact that cabin numbers get higher as you go from bow aft, make it fairly simple to orient yourself on any passenger cabin deck.

 

This does not work on NCL or Royal Caribbean ships - but getting oriented might not be your only concern on their ships.

It was great on our hundred pax Hurtigruten ship!

[pacruise804]

On 8/15/2019 at 9:23 PM, dkjretired said:

 

Best way to watch baseball and football  on TV, put on TV video and local radio broadcast.   We have great baseball 15 miles away this week,  Little League World Series.

Off topic, but I'm about 30 minutes away 🙂 What a treat we have in our backyard!  

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

12 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

There is an additional connection which helps on some ships: “port” and “left” both have an even number of letters, and the cabins on the port (left) side on ships with traditional numbering (Cunard and HAL for example) have even numbers; while “starboard” and “right” both have an odd number of letters and the cabins on the starboard side have odd numbers.  This, together with the fact that cabin numbers get higher as you go from bow aft, make it fairly simple to orient yourself on any passenger cabin deck.

 

This does not work on NCL or Royal Caribbean ships - but getting oriented might not be your only concern on their ships.

Celebrity is the opposite. Odd numbered cabins on the port side.

[ldubs]

On 8/17/2019 at 11:28 AM, navybankerteacher said:

Forget ships for the moment, and think about a pair of shoes on a counter you might be looking at in a shoe store. If the heels of the shoes are facing you,  the right shoe is on your right.  If the toes of the shoes are facing you, the right shoe is on your left.

 

Yet, the left shoe is still the left shoe, no matter which way you’re facing.

 

But if you are facing away from the shoes, then the right shoe is the left shoe and the left shoe is the right shoe.   😀

 

This might help with port/starboard.  Is the plank (to be walked) always starboard (seems that way in pirate movies)?  Then port is the other side. 😀

 

 

[QueSeraSera]

44 minutes ago, ldubs said:

But if you are facing away from the shoes

 

Now that did make me laugh out loud,  Love it Idubs!

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

But if you are facing away from the shoes, then the right shoe is the left shoe and the left shoe is the right shoe.   😀

 

This might help with port/starboard.  Is the plank (to be walked) always starboard (seems that way in pirate movies)?  Then port is the other side. 😀

 

 

Hardly.  The right shoe remains the right shoe — or do you really think your right hand becomes your left hand when you turn around?

[Mike981]

On 8/15/2019 at 8:23 PM, dkjretired said:

We have great baseball 15 miles away this week,  Little League World Series.

 

YES YOU DO!  My wife and I are thinking of going next year, just because we love it so much and how pure it is. We record all of the games.

[ldubs]

15 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Hardly.  The right shoe remains the right shoe — or do you really think your right hand becomes your left hand when you turn around?

 

But, what if your shoes don't fit.  Then they really aren't the right shoes.  😀

[AL3XCruise]

Here's my question: on a double ended ship, like a ferry, how are port and starboard (as well as bow and stern) defined?  Is one end just treated as the bow, or does it vary with direction of operation?  

[pacruise804]

As a passenger, I would vary with direction of operation.  Port would be to the left and starboard to the right of forward motion.  I realize there is a flaw in this thought though since on a standard ship port and starboard don't change when the ship is moving in reverse 😉 

[navybankerteacher]

12 minutes ago, pacruise804 said:

...on a standard ship port and starboard don't change when the ship is moving in reverse 😉 

Interesting thought: could you clarify by describing the sort of non-standard ship where port and starboard would change? Have you some non-standard shoes which vary from right to left (and vice versa) when you walk backwards?