Why are boats different than what truck/cars are? Why are we not driving our boats from the left side? Theres got to be a story behind this.

It's my understanding it's so the driver can see a boat that would have the right-of-way(boat traveling right to left) easier.

I see...

I always thought it was because of torque lift on the single engine boats, causing the right side to come up, therefore offsetting with the weight of the driver...and it just stuck from then on...

Interesting...

From Wikipedia,

"The starboard side of most naval vessels the world over is designated the "senior" side. The officers' gangway or sea ladder is shipped on this side and this side of the quarterdeck is reserved for the captain. The flag or pennant of the ship's captain or senior officer in command is generally hoist on the starboard yard."

"The origin of the term starboard comes from early boating practices. Before ships had rudders on their centrelines, they were steered by use of a specialised steering oar. This oar was held by an oarsman located in the stern (back) of the ship. However, like most of society, there were many more right-handed sailors than left-handed sailors. This meant that the steering oar (which had been broadened to provide better control) used to be affixed to the right side of the ship. The word starboard comes from Old English steorbord, literally meaning the side on which the ship is steered, descendant from the Old Norse words stýri meaning "rudder" (from the verb stýra, literally "being at the helm", "having a hand in") and borð meaning etymologically "board", then the "side of a ship"."

Michael

I always thought since you go counter clockwise on a lake it was so the driver was up high around turns so he can see everything around him, instead of being low and not being able to see were your going.

mines on the left,,well at leasre one of them..

Mines on the left also...well i can switch between them if I want to. Driving and throttling is much easier with the helm on the left and the throttles in the middle....

most small boats were single engine prop thru the hull rudder style drives. with prop torque in the standard rotation, the boat walks right in reverse. so it is easier for driver to see the dock as he backs up to it.