What do sailors call the front of a boat?

The story behind the answer

Bow is correct: it’s the front of a boat, the part that cuts through the water. By contrast, the stern is the rear, port is the left side when facing forward, and starboard is the right side.

A handy memory trick: you “bow” forward—so the bow is the forward end. Another: port and left both have four letters, so port = left; starboard = right. “Starboard” comes from the old “steer-board,” a steering oar mounted on the right side of early ships, which is why ships docked on the left (the “port” side) to protect the steering gear.