sliding keel

8.1

A fin under a sailboat that moves up and down to reduce sideways drift

noun
/ˈslaɪdɪŋ kiːl/

Specialized

: quilla retráctil

When facing strong crosswinds, the sailor lowered the sliding keel to maintain course.

Examples

The yacht is equipped with a sliding keel to navigate shallow waters safely.
Many modern yachts use a sliding keel to enhance stability.
Early 19th-century boat designs often featured a sliding keel for enhanced stability.
The sailboat has a sliding keel for better performance.
The yacht is equipped with a sliding keel to navigate shallow waters safely.
Early 19th-century boat designs often featured a sliding keel for enhanced stability.
When facing strong crosswinds, the sailor lowered the sliding keel to maintain course.

Synonyms

centerboard

vssliding keel

Specialized

1 7.4

A flat board lowered into the water under a sailboat to stop it drifting sideways

sits at the hull bottom and also increases stability under sail

drop keel

vssliding keel

Specialized

8.3

A fin under a sailboat that you raise or lower to stop the boat sliding sideways

adds stability by improving hull balance rather than only stopping sideways drift

How Stable

fin keel

Specialized

7.9

sliding keel

Specialized

8.1

centerboard

Specialized

1 7.4

skeg

Specialized

1 9.9

Surface Forms

sliding keel singular

sliding keels plural

Morphology

sliding + keel

The noun phrase is compositional: 'sliding' (moving or able to slide) modifies 'keel' (boat's longitudinal plate), yielding a keel that can slide or retract to adjust performance. This adjective+noun pattern is a transparent, cross-linguistically common construction, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Sliding keel names a moving fin under a boat. A keel is the fin under the bottom of the boat and sliding shows it can move up and down to stop the boat from sliding sideways, so the name means the part that 'keeps the boat steady'.