Matt,
My husband, being interested in boats as well as in music, was
intrigued by the words, and by the comment which someone made about
"keels" being the sea-going boats as well as those used on the Tyne.
Evidently similar boats were used on rivers and canals, at least in
"greater Northumbria" - maybe further??? According to one reference
which he read, some of the boats had leeboards and these, the
anchors and anything heavy and not needed were left at some place near
the mouth of the river, and presumably the boats were towed by horses??
through the rivers and canals. Might the keelman stay with his boat
to its inland destination? Might he then return on foot, if his boats
had not yet discharged all of its cargo, to his home, or to the "boat
depot" to pick up another boat? This would be his "ower land"
journey. We would be most interested if anyone could tell us more
about this.
The masts could be hinged down to pass under bridges ,and any heavy
equipment such as anchors would not be needed on river or canal
voyages. The Lee boards would get in the way when passing through
locks so these also would be removed when not at sea. Could an "ower
land journey" be made on board his boat with his feet on the deck and
not actually on the ground?
Sheila and John
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