How to Remember Port and Starboard When Learning to Sail. Is Port Left or Right?

How to remember Port and Starboard? If you’re new to sailing, one of the first things you’ll hear is:
“Port is left. Starboard is right.”

But remembering which is which—especially under pressure—can take some getting used to. Whether you’re learning to sail for the first time or taking an RYA Competent Crew course, knowing your port from your starboard is a basic skill you’ll use constantly.

This guide will help you understand the difference between port and starboard, explain why we use these terms, and show you easy tricks to remember which side is which.

Knowing the difference between between the two, whether port is left or right, and whether starboard is left or right is one of the first things we teach you when you come for sailing lessons with us. Port refers to the left side of the boat, while starboard is the right hand side. It important that you can remember which side is which, as port and starboard terminology will be used in emergency situations, or when you communicate with other crew members and boats

🔍 Which Side Is Port and Which Is Starboard?

Let’s start with the basics:

• Port is the left-hand side of a boat when facing forward (towards the bow).

• Starboard is the right-hand side of the boat when facing forward.

These terms are fixed and don’t change based on where you’re standing or which direction you are facing—they are used to avoid confusion when giving directions onboard.

Correct terminology to show the different sides of a yacht

🧠 Easy Ways to Remember Port vs Starboard

Many people search for an easy way to remember port and starboard — and there are a few memory tricks that work really well when you’re just starting out.

✅ 1. Port = Left (4 letters)

This is the simplest trick:

• The word PORT has 4 letters.

• The word LEFT also has 4 letters.
  → So, Port is Left.

✅ 2. Red Port Left (Navigation Lights Trick)

Boats use navigation lights:

• Port side = Red light

• Starboard side = Green light

Think of the phrase:

“There’s no red port left in the bottle.”

This helps you remember:

• Red = Port = Left

• Starboard = Green = Right

If you’ve ever passed port wine at a dinner table, it’s traditionally passed to the left, which reinforces the idea.

✅ 3. Starboard Has Two R’s = Right

• The word staRboaRd contains two R’s.

• That’s a cue to remember:

  “Starboard is Right”

✅ 4. The Ship’s Left Port

Another clever one:

“The ship’s left port” — as in, it departed.
This phrase helps link left with port.

⚓ Why Do Boats Use Port and Starboard Instead of Left and Right?

A common question:

Why can’t we just say left and right?

Here’s the answer: On a boat, people face in different directions. So if the skipper says “turn right,” does that mean your right or their right?

By using the correct terminology for left and right, there’s no confusion.

• Port is always left (when facing forward).

• Starboard is always right.

This is especially important during:

• Mooring and docking

• Emergency situations

• Night sailing (when visibility is limited)

• Sailing drills in Competent Crew training

📜 The Origin of Port and Starboard

Understanding the origins helps reinforce the terms:

• Starboard comes from the Old English word steorbord, meaning the side the steering oar was on — usually the right side.

• Port was the side used for docking, because you couldn’t dock on the steering (starboard) side. So the left side became known as the port side.

Even after boats adopted rudders, the names remained standardised.

🛟 How This Helps When Learning to Sail

If you’re doing an RYA Competent Crew course, or just taking your first steps into learning to sail, you’ll need to know these terms early on.

They’ll come up when:

• You’re instructed to set fenders on the port side

• You need to tack to starboard

• You’re docking on the port beam

• Practising a man overboard drill with clear communication

As part of your training, these commands will become second nature—but using the tricks above will get you off to a smooth start.

❓ FAQ: Remembering Port and Starboard

➤ Is port left or right?

Port is left when you’re facing forward on a boat.

➤ Is starboard left or right?

Starboard is right, always when facing the bow (front) of the boat.

➤ What’s the easiest way to remember port and starboard?

Remember:

• Port and left both have 4 letters

• Red = Port = Left

• Starboard has two R’s = Right

➤ Do port and starboard ever change?

No. They are fixed references on all vessels. Port is always the left, starboard is always the right.

⛵ Final Thoughts: Mastering Port and Starboard

Learning port and starboard is one of the first steps in becoming a confident crew member. Once you’ve memorised which is which, you’ll start to hear it everywhere: in commands, charts, radio calls, and safety drills.

Soon, you’ll stop asking “Is port left or right?” — because you’ll just know.

🎯 Ready to Start Learning to Sail?

If you’re ready to get hands-on experience and build real skills, check out our RYA Competent Crew sailing courses. They’re perfect for beginners and will teach you everything you need to crew a yacht safely and confidently.

🔗 Explore Competent Crew Courses

More information about Port and Starboard can be found here on Wikipedia

Edited 8th October 2025

Posted by: First Class Sailing