Model of a Humber Keel

Model of a Humber Keel, Humber, England, United Kingdom. This type of vessel was used for carrying cargo on the Ouse, Trent and upper waters of the Humber and along the canals connected with these rivers. Scale 1:24, early 20th century.

Vessels of this type were formerly used in common use on the Yorkshire rivers Humber, Trent and Ouse and on the canals connecting with these rivers.

Keels were carvel-built vessels of great strength, being mainly of oak and having unusually heavy timbers.

Designed as cargo-carriers - coal, bricks and sand were typical cargoes - they were bluntly double-ended with bluff bows and sterns and long vertical sides. Short decks at the bow and stern were connected by narrow side-gangways, between which was a very large hatch with cambered hatch-covers protected by tarpaulins. The single mast, stepped in a tabernacle to permit lowering when passing under bridges, carried a square-sail and frequently also a square topsail.

These craft were handled by a man and a boy; the work of hoisting and trimming sail being assisted by the use of geared winches.

The lee-boards were raised and lowered by small winches in the rail aft and the anchors were raised by a wooden windlass worked by handspikes.

The crew lived in a cabin aft which was separated from he hold by a bulkhead.

Usually keels were about 60ft long with a beam of 15ft and were capable of carrying a load of about 90 to 100 tons.