Coble

The coble is a type of open traditional fishing boat which developed on the North East coast of England.

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.

However, fishermen required high bows to sail in the dangerous North Sea and in particular to launch into the surf and to land on the beaches.

A Scottish version of the coble, much shallower and beamier than the English type, serves for salmon-fishing off beaches near Arbroath and Montrose in Angus.

Today[update], surviving cobles generally use diesel engines, removing the need for the distinctively shaped lug sail.