<P> To understand which is which , when a person is facing the bow on a vessel or aircraft , that is , forward towards the direction the vehicle is heading when underway , the port side is the left - hand side and the starboard side is the right - hand side . However , port and starboard never change ; they are unambiguous references that are not based on the relative directions of an observer , just like the cardinal directions of east and west do n't change no matter the direction a person faces . </P>
<P> To understand which is which , when a person is facing the bow on a vessel or aircraft , that is , forward towards the direction the vehicle is heading when underway , the port side is the left - hand side and the starboard side is the right - hand side . However , port and starboard never change ; they are unambiguous references that are not based on the relative directions of an observer , just like the cardinal directions of east and west do n't change no matter the direction a person faces . </P>
what is the port side of a boat
what is the port side of a boat
the left - hand side
the left - hand side