Posted by JimM on September 16, 2002 at 14:22:58:
In Reply to: Re: Steering wheels posted by jeff pierce on September 13, 2002 at 15:30:26:
It turns out to be closer to the truth than you might have guessed!
According to www.bluejacket.com, the Vikings called the sides of their ships "boards", and the steering oar was on the "right" side of the ship. This led to the "Steer Board" side which either got translated from or evolved into "Star Board" (it's not clear which).
The port side was the "loading" or "lar" side, because you had to tie up opposite the steering oar. "larboard" was the opposite of starboard, but the sounds of the two words could be confused in the midst of a battle or gale. Openings in the side of a ship are called "ports", and sailors began to refer to "port side" as the side to which you tied up.
The Navy officially adopted the term "port" as the left side (facing forward) in 1846, according to another Navy website. I wonder when the rest of the World adopted it?