QUESTION TIME!!

  • gregstew
    Red Wing, MN
    Posts: 347
    September 17, 2011 at 4:12 pm #1273807

    I was just wondering if anyone knows why a boat has the driver on the right, but a car has him on the left???
    I know it seems natural now, but is that just because we’re all use to it being that way????

    norseman
    FAIRMONT MN
    Posts: 559
    September 17, 2011 at 4:16 pm #995449

    And boats have the motors in the back and cars in the front!

    lenny_jamison
    Bay City , WI
    Posts: 4001
    September 17, 2011 at 4:22 pm #995450

    Boat propellers turn clockwise and hulls used to be designed in such a way that when there was torque on the prop, the right side of the boat would rise up. So the wheel was put on the right, so the weight of these “healthy sized” fishermen would counteract that.

    For cars, it just makes it easier to drive on the right side of the road with the wheel on the left.

    liar
    Lakeville
    Posts: 170
    September 17, 2011 at 4:25 pm #995451

    My guess would be that most people are right handed. Before automatic transmissions people shifted with their right hand.
    ( I have no explanation for the Brits).
    When fishing right handers hold the fishing pole in their right hand and steer with left.

    I’m a lefty and have a tiller. I’m just used to changing hands when I get a bite trolling.

    Tom Sawvell
    Inactive
    Posts: 9559
    September 17, 2011 at 4:29 pm #995452

    Quote:

    For cars, it just makes it easier to drive on the right side of the road with the wheel on the left.

    And here I thought the insurance companies insisted on this since the survival rates go down when cars with only the driver inside go down with head-ons.

    igotone
    Posts: 1746
    September 17, 2011 at 4:53 pm #995453

    Quote:

    I was just wondering if anyone knows why a boat has the driver on the right, but a car has him on the left???

    I know it seems natural now, but is that just because we’re all use to it being that way????

    the thing that really bothered me was the places they put the fuel intakes

    like the opposite side of your towing vehicle ( that’s a classic ) or in the back 4 not getting tank full or getting gas all over

    think lenny has it right

    smithkeith
    Waterloo, Iowa
    Posts: 889
    September 17, 2011 at 7:14 pm #995462

    I have always heard what Lenny said.

    1hl&sinker
    On the St.Croix
    Posts: 2501
    September 17, 2011 at 9:07 pm #995469

    That’s a good explanation. I have another question to go with this one.
    Why is it when driving the boat in rough water and I look over at the passenger next to me I see a guy all bug eyed bouncing around and looking like the world is coming to an end while I am all relaxed and enjoying the ride.
    I do admit I get the same look when I’m the passenger.

    Denny O
    Central IOWA
    Posts: 5819
    September 17, 2011 at 9:26 pm #995472

    Not to mention the bait casters have most all of the cranking handles on the right and spinning reels have them on the left, (even though they can be reversed quite easly)?

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