A 40 cannon ship will have 20 cannons on both sides in order to keep the ship protected on all side.
The hull.
The sides of any ship are "the hull".
It is called a "ship", a ship has both left and right sides.
True-port & starboard.
A bilge is a rounded portion of a ship's hull, forming a transition between the bottom of the ship and the sides.
A bilge is a rounded portion of a ship's hull, forming a transition between the bottom of the ship and the sides.
Gunwales (pronounced as 'gunnels') are the top edge of the hulls, or sides, of a water craft.
The ship was old and had sturdy sides, with iron.
Sides of a mountain/ship/hill.
The sides of a ship are the hull. The top of the hull are the gunwales (pronounced gunnels). A ship could be loaded to the gunwales (low in the water).
No old Iron sides was a ship used in the war of 1812. A British cannon ball hit the side of the ship on freshly cut replacement board. The board was strong enough to with hold the shock of the cannon ball. A sailor on the that ship called her "old Iron sides" from then on.