On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 05:54:11 -0700, quizno mouse
wrote:

I am new to boating and I always get confused with portside and
starboard or the red and green nav lights position and direction.
Is there an easy trick or rule of thumb one can use to always remember
these ?

As a newbie, you will come to recognise it as time goes by. The
menomic of "red, right, return" is what causes the confusion.

I tell newbies who really want to remember it is to put two small
stickers on the console or windshield - red labeled port, green
labeled starboard.

Eventually you won't need the stickers anymore.

As to direction, there are a couple of ways to determine what
direction a boat is approaching you based on the lights. If you only
see red and white, then the boat will be to your left. If you only
see green and white, then the boat will be to your right.

If you see only a white light, that means you are behind a vessel.

If you see red and green and white, you are in deep doo doo. :)

There are a number of training programs around the web - boat/us has
one I believe that will give you a hand.