What do sailors call the right side of a boat?

The story behind the answer

Starboard is the nautical term for the right side of a boat when you’re facing the bow (front). The word comes from Old English “steorbord,” meaning “steering side,” because early ships had a steering oar mounted on the right.

Its opposite is port, the left side. Ships traditionally docked with the left side to the harbor (port) to protect the steering oar—hence the name. To remember: port and left each have four letters; if port is left, starboard is right. Another memory aid: navigation lights—port is red (think “red port wine”), starboard is green. Bow is the front, stern is the back, rounding out the basic vessel directions.