What is the reason that navigation lights on the bow of boats is red on left and green on right?

Question

If you want to tell me where the terms "port' and 'starboard' in boats came from , i'll be amazed/

Answer 1

The term "port" was originally "larboard".  Sounds a lot like starboard, right?  This is the reason larboard was changed to port.  The terms originated from the way the boats lay along side the dock.

Answer 2

it's like driving a vehicle. the light tell you which side of the waterway you give right of way

Answer 3

actually the better answer is so you can judge which direction a vessel is going at night...... and you will see a port light (red)(left side of boat),  a starboard light (green)(right side of boat),and a stern light (white)

Answer 4

All good answers...but here's the deal.

On board...land and channel markers are " RED RIGHT RETURNING"  this means that when returning to port or going upstream...the Red lighthouse  or channel marker better be on your right.

NOW think of a boat...if the red bow light is on the right...(red right returning) he is returning in relation to you...in other words coming at you!!!

Answer 5

As for:  "RED RIGHT RETURNING"

Over here in the UK we have "The red port floods down the captains throat". I.e. you leave the red buoys / lights to port when entering a harbour or river or going up with the flood tide.

Answer 6

It's so that you can tell from the colour lights you can see which way the ship is travelling and, more importantly, whether a risk of collision exists. The choice of which colour light went where was ratified in the International Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea. Incidentally, a ship must also display a white stern light and one or two white "steaming" lights above these depending on her length. "Special" vessels (fishing vessels for example) carry additional lights so you know what type of vessel they are.

Starboard probably derives from "steerboard". Early ships were steered by a long oar that was fitted on the right hand side of the ship near her stern. You didn't want to damage this when you were alongside a quay so you always docked with your left side against the quay, this was the side you used in port - the port side. Works for me!