8mm Forum: Port or Starboard?

This is topic Port or Starboard? in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 11, 2013, 03:28 AM:

I have been running the Ken/Fox 400' of the 1953 "Titanic". As the ship approaches the iceberg it's obvious that it needs to go to the left to hopefully avoid the mountain of ice.

The captain issues the command: "Full speed. Hard to starboard." The wheelsman repeats the order and spins the wheel hard down on its left. The ship does alter course to its left but too late to avoid scraping along the side of the ice.

Port is left. Starboard is right. Was the wrong command given or have I missed something?

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on December 11, 2013, 04:00 AM:

... [Roll Eyes]

I was just reading, the nautical reason for a "hard to starboard" command to turn left seems related to the tiller and not the rudder.

A tiller is pushed to the right, or starboard, to apply left rudder and turn the vessel to the left.

Graham.

Posted by Martin Jones (Member # 1163) on December 11, 2013, 04:13 AM:

Typical Hollywood misconception! Leslie Phillips would have just said ..."Left hand down a bit" (English reference for those of a certain age!)

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on December 11, 2013, 04:17 AM:

Actually I think they got it right and we, myself included, got it wrong. [Smile]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 11, 2013, 04:40 AM:

If they were as confused as I am now, it's no wonder they hit the iceberg. [Big Grin]

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 11, 2013, 09:59 AM:

Maurice, you need a glass of port. [Big Grin]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on December 12, 2013, 01:27 AM:

If I remember right doesn't Leslie Nielsen say in "The Poseidon Adventure".....HARD LEFT....now that makes sense [Big Grin]

or should it be HARD TO PORT... [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on December 12, 2013, 03:21 AM:

This kind of misunderstanding is not unknown in real life. HMS Victoria sank when rammed by HMS Camperdown in 1893 due to confusion between Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon and his deputy, Rear Admiral Markham on board the Camperdown. This was satirised in Kind Hearts and Coronets in 1949 when Admiral Lord Horatio D'Ascoyne goes down with his ship.

Posted by David Singer (Member # 3953) on December 13, 2013, 06:13 AM:

The origin of the terms PORT and STARBOARD - Starboard is a corruption or shortening of "steering board". In very early nautical history in the Mediterranean area, a steering board with tiller attached, or rudder in today's terms, was mounted on the right side of the sailing vessel, near the stern, but not at the stern. Therefore, when docking, the ship would tie up on the left side to avoid damage to the steering board on the right side. Hence the left side became known as the port side and the right side the starboard side (yes I know, this has nothing to do with 8mm).

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on December 13, 2013, 09:29 AM:

Only here on The Forum can you get such knowlegable tidbits of information. [Wink]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 13, 2013, 09:45 AM:

We must not forget the alleged origin of the word "posh" as a description for the upper class.
"POSH" was entered on booking confirmations for travellers between the UK and India in the days of the Raj. It stood for "Port Out - Starboard Home", meaning they required a cabin on the cooler side of the ship, i.e. away from the sun.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 13, 2013, 10:08 AM:

I can't fathom all this out! [Big Grin]

Posted by Bruce Wright (Member # 2793) on December 13, 2013, 04:41 PM:

"SHEETS TO THE WIND" and a bottle of rum.

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on December 17, 2013, 12:09 PM:

That's another one - 'three sheets to the wind'- meaning under the afluence of incahol. Where does that come from!

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on December 17, 2013, 01:45 PM:

Lancashire weaving industry when they were onth ale!

Posted by Bruce Wright (Member # 2793) on December 17, 2013, 07:21 PM:

When "tacking" a square rigger, sheets to the wind is that
point where the bow is dead into the wind and it time to
move the sheets (sail) to the other side. Some tines you don't
make it and have to start over. Just like the sailor who is three sheers to the wind. And some times we 'jib'. These ships are fun but lots of work. Sure wish I had a camera in those days. HO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM.

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