Coble Boat
The distinctive shape of the coble boat
- flat bottomed and high bowed - arose to cope with the particular conditions
prevalent in this area. Flat bottoms allowed launching from and landing
upon shallow, sandy beaches; an advantage in this part of the coast
where the wide bays and inlets provided little shelter from stormy weather.
A coble is a type of open decked fishing
boat. This style of boat is traditionally used on the North East coast
of England, from southern-most examples found around Hull, to Berwick-upon-Tweed
on the Scottish border.
However high bows were required to sail in the dangerous North Sea and
in particular to allow launching into the surf and landing on the beaches.
The design contains relics of Norse influence, though in the main it
is of Dutch origin.
Cobles were clinker-built
locally, where needed, without the use of plans. The craftsmanship on
many boats gave them a long working life. They were notorious as being
dangerous to sail for an inexperienced crew, but in the hands of experts
could be both safe and fast.
Today, surviving cobles
are generally powered by diesel engines, removing the need for the distinctively
shaped 'lug' sail. In a further concession to comfort, the bow is often
covered by a tarpaulin shelter.
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