Starboard right of way - great story

So this is something new, that the priority of starboard over port is not just convention. I've always explained it to new sailors as an arbitrary rule -- like how we drive on the right side of the road in the US but not in the UK. I knew the origin of "starboard" in steering board. But I had always understood the starboard priviledge over port as an exception to other rules of the road that have a practical logic or safety rationale. It certainly makes sense that a side-mounted rudder would be less effective when heeled and partially out of the water. This is great information! Thanks for this.