Interesting Factoids and Phrases

Question 1

Blue Monday

Answer 1

The British Navy disciplined sailors on Mondays for infractions that occurred over the preceding week

Question 2

The Cat is Out of Bag

Answer 2

The cat of nine tails stayed in the bag until it was used for discipline.

Question 3

Stjorn board

Answer 3

The right side of the boat became known as the stjorn “starn” board or starboard side.

Question 4

Larboard

Answer 4

Initially, the port side was called larboard side because that was the side that was next to the wharf when the vessel was in port. It was too confusing to have a starboard side and larboard side, so they changed the left side to port side.

Question 5

Transom

Answer 5

The aft terminus of many boats is a flat, vertical surface extending from one side of the vessel to the other. It came from the latin root “trans” meaning across

Question 6

Bow

Answer 6

This term came from the Norwegian word “Bov” meaning shoulder. The shoulder of a boat pushes its way through the water