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Screw Keels

PostPosted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 6:18 pm
by Whickham
Anybody know what a Screw Keel is/was?

See for example: http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/R-Ships ... 31902.html

This one is also listed as R T C WEIGH KEEL NO 3 in the WSS Yard list.

Re: Screw Keels

PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 6:23 am
by northeast
Isn't the answer at the end of the cutting ... nothing to do with a screw on the vessel (which was dumb) but taking out or placing some sort of 'screw mooring', presumably one literally screwed into the river bed?

Re: Screw Keels

PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 7:49 am
by Whickham
Thanks George, never occurred to me that you would screw a mooring into the river bed, but then they were banging piles into there so why not screwing things in as well. I live and learn. Unfortunately I forget more than I learn.

Re: Screw Keels

PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:27 am
by northeast
Could have been recycling all those old corkscrews discarded by Hebburn folk?

Re: Screw Keels

PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:31 am
by northeast
Here y'are then, we live and learn, then forget

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Vpf ... ne&f=false

Re: Screw Keels

PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 1:50 pm
by Whickham
Excellent, thanks George. Original TBS entry now updated.

Re: Screw Keels

PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:38 pm
by Hornbeam
The ground anchors were a large Archimedes Screw if I remember correctly for the mooring buoys on the Tees.