RHD ?

[1080]

Why are nautiques, and most other boats for that matter,

Right Hand Drive

when most countries in the world are LHD for road vehicles :???:

[AbunDiga909]

RE: RHD ?

Back in the day when sailboats ruled the ski lakes, you'd have your mast and sail in the middle of the boat. You would have your stiller (i think) on the right side of the boat. When you would go to dock at the port, you would dock on the left side, so as not to damage your stiller. Hence, Starboard and Port sides of the boat. Your Nav lights also go back... the boat on the right has the right of way. If two boats are coming, the boat on the left can see the other boat, but the boat on the right cannot, so therefore he has the right of way, and the other boat sees a Red light on the boat...

~Austin

[Waterdog]

RE: RHD ?

With regard to power boats, hot boats such as flat bottom V-drives and jet boats use a foot throttle which is easier mounted on the port side due to the taper in the bow and the fact that engines typically spin to the left using the driver's weight to counter the clockwise torque delivered to the boat upon acceleration. Boats bounce in rough water making a foot throttle hard to control so when hand throttles became popular engineers decided that mounting to the starboard gunnel (most people being righ handed) was a good location. Routing throttle and trans cables straight down the inside of the gunnel also made sence. Stern drive and outboard manufactures also decided to spin their props to the right to counter the driver's weight (remember boats back then were only 15 to 17 feet on average so it made a difference). Correct Craft went the extra mile and spun their engine backwards to adjust for engine torque until the gear reduction trans became available in '89 or so. This combined with Austin's explanation above pretty much sums it up.

[efox]

RE: RHD ?

Austin, the term you are looking for is "tiller". That term though refers generally to a rudder with a "handle" moved by hand to steer the boat. You are probably right about the port vs starboard though...interesting stuff.

[AbunDiga909]

RE: RHD ?

Thanks Eric, I knew it didn't sound right...

and a week ago this was all 'useless information' :grin:

[SGY]

RHD

Here's what I found on the term "port"

Port and starboard
Port and starboard are shipboard terms for left and right, respectively. Confusing those two could cause a ship wreck. In Old England, the starboard was the steering paddle or rudder, and ships were always steered from the right side on the back of the vessel. Larboard referred to the left side, the side on which the ship was loaded. So how did larboard become port? Shouted over the noise of the wind and the waves, larboard and starboard sounded too much alike. The word port means the opening in the "left" side of the ship from which cargo was unloaded. Sailors eventually started using the term to refer to that side of the ship. Use of the term "port" was officially adopted by the U.S. Navy by General Order, 18 February 1846.