Why do most boats have the steering wheel on the right side?

Question

Why do most boats have the steering wheel on the right side?

Answer 1

Boat propellers turn clockwise and hulls used to be designed in such a way that when there was torque on the prop, the right side of the boat would rise up. So the wheel was put on the right, so the weight of these "healthy sized" fishermen would counteract that. As long as they didn't put the beer cooler on the left, which would throw everything off. This is not a problem with modern hulls, but the design stuck. Racing boats, however usually have the wheel on the left, like American cars

Answer 2

probably so when youre boating alone,  you can see when you are pulling up close to the bank or to another boat to tie off.  or maybe so you can see the shallow water nearer the bank to look for stumps and other obstacles.

Answer 3

The reason is as follows:

- most of the people is right handed. That is why the speed control is to the right of the wheel.

- in a small boat, the most convenient place where to place the speed control (on the right of the wheel) is on one side of the cockpit, close to the hull, in order to not be in the middle.

- if you have to have the speed control on the right of the wheel, on one side of the cockpit , you need to place the wheel on the right (starboard)

Equally, If we drive cars on the right is a convention derived from convenience. The gearshift must be on the center, and it is easier to manage it with the right hand.

Thus, the driver must be on the left. If the driver is on the left, it is easier to overpass another vehicle (better vision) if everybody drives on the right.

In the past, horse vehicles (and consequently the first cars) used to drive on the left, because the driver needs to be on the right of the vehicle to use the whip without hitting his passengers.

Coming back to boats, you can see that in mid size boats (typically where the helmsman can drive standing in a cabin) is very usual to have the wheel on the left

Answer 4

I really hope you get an answer to this because I've been wanting to know that for years!