Starboard

The right hand side of a ship or a nautical direction or heading, dates back to the early days of shipping, pre-12th century, when it was originally known as steer board, which was the steering oar or paddle at the right rear of ships, long before rear rudders were invented. These early vessels always had to moor on the left or port side to avoid damaging this steering paddle. During The Middle Ages, it used to be starboard and larboard, the latter being the port side of the ship by which it was laden with cargo etc. By the 1500s, port began to replace larboard because of the confusion sometimes caused by the similarity between larboard and starboard. See also Port.