Stroke (position)

In this picture of a coxless pair in the drive part of a "stroke", the rower on the right of the photo and closest to the stern of the boat is the "stroke" rower and is rowing "strokeside" or "port"

In rowing, the stroke is the rower seated closest to the stern of the boat. In the United Kingdom, the "stroke side" is the port side of the boat, because sweep rowing boats are usually rigged such that the stroke is on the port side of the boat.