The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #70781   Message #2537391
Posted By: Steve Gardham
10-Jan-09 - 04:09 PM
Thread Name: Folklore: About Keel Boats/ Keel Men-P.D.&Bullies
Subject: RE: Folklore: About Keel Boats/ Keel Men-P.D.&Bullies
There are plenty of keels and sloops left on the Humber and elsewhere. The main difference between them is the keel is square- rigged, sometimes with a topsail like Comrade and a sloop is fore-and- aft-rigged like Amy Howson (Both berthed at South Ferriby). Keels come in slightly different sizes most of those surviving being Sheffield size, just over 60 foot long and a 15 foot beam. A recently restored sloop is Spider T at Keadby Lock. As Tom says Chris's Southcliffe is a Sheffield-sized Keel which will shortly be back in sail. There are others and often at least 3 or 4 turn up at the Hull Shanty Festival and the Beverley Shanty Festival. They make a splendid sight gliding down the Humber in full sail and there's nothing to beat sailing in one with the engine switched off and standing at the tiller. Bloody marvellous!