I always remember that port and left both are the shorter word, and have the same number of letters.
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I always picture a drunken sailor asking how much port is left. It works for me.
Is there a reason they don't just say left and right?
Left and Right rely on the orientation of the person. So if I'm looking ahead at you, and you're looking at me, my left is different than yours. However, port and starboard don't change based on position of the viewer but the position of the vessel. Cuts out any ambiguity.
Like driver's side and passenger side on a car. It doesn't even matter where it was made and it will work out as long as they look for the steering wheel.
*Except the McLaren F1 and probably a few others.
Left and right are referenced to yourself, or relative. Port and starboard are referenced to the ship, or absolute.
It's the same reason people who work in theater say "stage right" and "stage left" instead of just "right" and "left."
Imagine being on a boat for weeks, in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight; it makes a lot of sense that you would think of locations in terms of the ship, as that is your only reference point.
Historically, boats had rudders (or “steer boards”) along the side of the ship instead of in the middle like we’d see them today. It was always on the right side of the boat, so to avoid smashing your rudder into the dock, you’d dock your ship on the other side. That means it was always the left side that literally faced the port, while starboard faced out into open water to protect that side from damage.
TIL about steer boards, thanks!

rudders (or “steer boards”)
The "board" part comes from "side of a ship", as in "the board where the steer is attached".
Same meaning as in "going over-board".
Then you have to say something like "your left or mine?" This removes any ambiguity, and that might matter when one is at sea.
Your port or mine?
Also, port is red and Starboard is green. Usually boats will colour the sheets to match. It helps to identify the lines when someone tells you to ease the port sheet.
I need something like this to remember left and right correctly.
Port and left have four letters.
Mars also has 4 letters, which is useful when you're trying to remember which portal to travel through at the end of the Vault of Glass raid.
Is the joke here that it would be embarrassing for the captain to forget this?
I remember being young taking my boaters safety course and having to take this section over three times. Why does left and right stop existing once you are on a floating pos?
Because left and right can be interpreted as direction from your point of view. Port and starboard are always understood as left and right of the vessel you are currently in.
"Red right returning". You must be leaving port.
But the red on your boat is always port.
You grew up on a boat?
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