Book 6, Question 102
Why Is a Keel on the Bottom of a Boat?
A keel is a fin or a heavy spine under a boat. It keeps a sailboat from sliding sideways in the wind. It also helps the boat stay upright.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Keelboats got their name from their keel, which gave these long, narrow boats stability.
- Keelboats were big, flat-bottomed boats with a heavy timber keel running down the center of the whole boat.
- When the river bottom was too rough, crews walked along the shore pulling a keelboat upstream with a towline several hundred feet long.
- Between 1837 and 1839, during the Cherokee Removal, four Cherokee groups traveled on eight keelboats.
- After one shipwreck, the boat's sunken keel was so heavy that special equipment was needed to remove it.
Sources: National Park Service, National Park Service, BBC
Questions kids ask
What does a keel do for a boat?
It runs along the bottom center and helps keep the boat stable.