noun
- shallow-draft riverboats with keels, typically used for cargo transport on inland waterways
Usage: nautical; historical
Examples
- Keelboats were essential for transporting goods along the Mississippi River in the early 1800s.
- The crew poled their keelboats upstream against the current.
- Lewis and Clark used keelboats during part of their expedition.
- Keelboats could carry much heavier loads than canoes.
- The shallow draft of keelboats made them ideal for river navigation.
- Steam-powered vessels eventually replaced most keelboats on major rivers.