Starboard & Port tack confusion!

[Scott T-Bird]

While watching one of our favorite sailing channels on YouTube I was surprised to learn that the European definition of Starboard and Port tack is different than ours! Is this true or did I hear some disinformation! The way it was described, at least in Dutch waters, is that a starboard tack is when the sail is on the starboard side, not the wind. So the tack is defined by which side the sail is on, not which side the wind is on.

Personally, I find this definition less confusing. Afterall, the sail is a visible cue, the wind is invisible.

But if true, when in Europe, does starboard tacking boat give way to a port tacking boat, so that we are consistent, just with different terminology, or is our actual practice reversed in Europe? I tend to believe that only the language is different and the actual practice is consistent.

Or am I hearing a lot of nonsense and our definition and practice is the same?

 

[JamesG161]

This was shown in the sinking of the Titanic movie.

They ordered "Hard a Port" to avoid the Iceberg.

I looked it up thinking "Hard a Starboard"

The Term was left over from the British back in the Days of Tillers.

Jim...

 

[kappykaplan]

Having spent around eight weeks sailing on Nicholson 55' sail training cutters in UK, I don't recall that their definition of stbd or port tack was different from ours.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

This was shown in the sinking of the Titanic movie.

They ordered "Hard a Port" to avoid the Iceberg.

I looked it up thinking "Hard a Starboard"

The Term was left over from the British back in the Days of Tillers.

Jim...

I think that is different though ... a hard starboard turn would be accomplished by pushing the tiller to port and vice versa. What I'm talking about is defining a starboard and port tack based on which side of the boat is the sail, not the wind.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Having spent around eight weeks sailing on Nicholson 55' sail training cutters in UK, I don't recall that their definition of stbd or port tack was different from ours.

Interesting, but it wouldn't surprise me at all that the Brits are contrary to the continent. As I recall, this issue was discussed when the sailors were in Dutch waters, but they had also been in the Med and Scandinavian waters.

 

[JamesG161]

Geeez guys I know , I know...

Titanic Sunk, 15 April 1912.

Things have changed. Like Lifeboats.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Interesting. The Racing Rules of Sailing are published by World Sailing, not just a US organization, and they define “A boat is on the tack, starboard or port, corresponding to her windward side.” So at least by that criteria “our” definitions are universal.

One thing to be careful about with YouTube videos is that they’re sometimes mirrored to get around automated copyright protections.

 

[kappykaplan]

Interesting, but it wouldn't surprise me at all that the Brits are contrary to the continent. As I recall, this issue was discussed when the sailors were in Dutch waters, but they had also been in the Med and Scandinavian waters.

According to a website in Fethiye / Muğla / TURKEY, port and stbd tacks correspond to the side the wind is coming from. I'm with @Davidasailor26 on this one.

 

[dlochner]

This is easy to verify. The World Sailing Association, the governing body for international sailing competition says:

Tack, Starboard or Port A boat is on the tack, starboard or port,
corresponding to her windward side.

https://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/StudyVersion20212024WorldSailingRacingRulesofSailing-%5B26383%5D.pdf

 

[JohnShannon]

So the only confusion arises when you are sailing by the lee. Obviously the side the sail is on is easily visible, wind is by itself somewhat invisible.

 

[Brian D]

This was shown in the sinking of the Titanic movie.

They ordered "Hard a Port" to avoid the Iceberg.

I looked it up thinking "Hard a Starboard"

The Term was left over from the British back in the Days of Tillers.

Jim...

Jim, I remember that also. When I looked it up, I found that it was the way the wheel was connected to the rudder. I believe we cross our cables so that if we turn the wheel to the direction of travel, the rudder will do the opposite (like a tiller). However, back then, the wheel was just a big round tiller so turning the wheel to port (same as pulling the tiller to port) turned the boat to starboard. That is how I understood it.

I recently watched Master and Commander and did not pay much attention to how the wheel was used. Might have to watch it again to see.

 

[Sailfanatic]

The only relevant and controlling definition comes straight out of Section II of COLREGS, Rule 12: Sailing Vessels, to whit:
"(b) For the purposes of this Rule the windward side shall be deemed to be the side
opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried or, in the case of a square-rigged
vessel, the side opposite to that on which the largest fore-and-aft sail is carried."
This rule is the same for both International and Inland, so is universal...
FWIW The Racing Rules of Sailing has a compatible definition.

 

[Brian D]

Some more research shows that what I thought about the way the wheel is connected to the rudder may not be correct. A boat that big does not use cables (LOL) but hydraulics and a "rudder engine". Also I read that indeed if the watch commander says "hard a starboard" they mean turn the dang thing to port. Very interesting, and I wonder why. Anyway, this has gotten away from the OP's original question of Port (Larboard anyone?) Tack and Starboard Tack.

Apologies to OP.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

It seems to me that what I heard on YouTube was misinformation! I think I'll go back to the episode and watch again just to be sure I heard right or wrong! We are watching Sailing Magic Carpet, Sue's absolute favorite sailing channel now, and this is what I heard during the season when they were sailing the Netherlands. I thought their commentary would be pretty reliable. When I find the episode, I'll post it here.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

One thing to be careful about with YouTube videos is that they’re sometimes mirrored to get around automated copyright protections.

No, they actually made a point of describing the difference. I'll have to find the episode again. I don't think I'm crazy! I'm pretty sure I understood them correctly. It was in Sailing Magic Carpet while they were sailing in the Netherlands.

 

[senang]

The question of the OP is right. The rules are the same as across all countries. Only the terminologie is NOT the same . If the wind is from SB, all over the english speaking world the crew is claiming right of way by yelling Starboard. Only in the Netherlands in the same situation they yell Bakboord (Port), because the boom is on port. The right of way rule is the same, the yelling is opposite because it is in the Dutch language.
BTW my pasport is Dutch.

 

[PaulK]

No, they actually made a point of describing the difference. I'll have to find the episode again. I don't think I'm crazy! I'm pretty sure I understood them correctly. It was in Sailing Magic Carpet while they were sailing in the Netherlands.

Dutch can be really tricky, language-wise, so it is quite possible your Magic Carpet friends were confused. We once had a Dutch classmate explain to us the difference between two uu sounds. No one in the class heard any difference, but she insisted one was uu and the other was uu. The Dutch love a good joke.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Dutch can be really tricky, language-wise, so it is quite possible your Magic Carpet friends were confused.

It's also possible that they were talking about the Dutch interpretation and not Europe as a whole ... that may have been my misunderstanding. In any event, if anybody is watching sailing channels on YouTube, Sailing Magic Carpet is the one that I say shouldn't be missed. It features an absolutely delightful couple, each with their own very interesting history, and they put out a marvelous product. I particularly enjoy the music that Maya puts in the videos that she plays on her violin and other instruments. The fact that she is a very good musician just adds so much to their productions.