Keel

The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The laying of the keel is often the initial step in constructing a ship.

In the British and American shipbuilding traditions, this event marks the beginning date of a ship's construction.

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Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

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