Why starboard side steering?

[steelespike]

Re: Why starboard side steering?

Steering on the right is simply to help counter<br /> propeller/engine torque. I have a 29 Dodge inboard with the steering on the left(port)<br />side.There is a noticable problem keeping the boat even when running alone.The problem is agravated because there is the relatively heavy<br />steering wheel assm.and galvinized pipe linkage<br /> running the length of the port side of the boat.<br />Originally the battery was on the port side as well which was just dumb.

 

[suzukidave]

Re: Why starboard side steering?

great obscure discussion. I have never heard of leeboard, but I know "larboard" is the old form for "port" that was phased out of use by the Royal Navy and USN in the middle of the 19th century because it could be confused with starboard. I don't know about the origins of the words, but naval officers went aboard a ship on the starboard side with cermeony or the larboard side without ceremony. <br /><br />As for why steering on the starboard side, I thought it was so right handed steersmen would be able to cleanly toss a line ashore or fend off with a pike when docking, something of greater consequence in the days when not all small boats had a reverse gear.