Keelson or Mast Step

There was no trace of a keelson.  In fact, the floating ceiling makes a strong case against the existence of a full keelson and I am inclined to think that the "keelson" recorded in 1970 by Jorge Albuquerque was a mast step (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 - Maststep as it was found in 1970 after Jorge Albuquerque's drawing.

As mentioned above, two iron concretions between frames C10 and C11, and frames C14 and C15 shows that this maststep was fastened to the keel with iron bolts 3.2 cm in diameter.

Judging by Mr. Albuquerque's scheme this was a solid maststep, about 33 cm sided and 33 cm molded at the mortise section and tapering in its molding dimensions towards the stern of the vessel.  According to this drawing it seems that this maststep was protruding 4.72 m out of the embankment.

The captain of the dredge Mark, which destroyed this vessel in 1970, told the team of divers that as he dredged the bottom away from the shipwreck it came out of the embankment, (what we think to have been) its stern projecting from the wall.  Then he came nearer and touched it with the dredge, presumably sailing in the direction South-North, and it shattered, as it was full of sediments and had no support underneath.

Falling mud quickly covered the lower portion of the hull, as the embankment adjusted its slope to the natural cohesion of the sediment.  At least the 1970 teams who visited the site did not report it.

It is possible that this section of the maststep was lost forever, carried away by the current, and only further excavation of the lower portion of the hull will possibly give any information on this subject.

Citation Information: Filipe Castro, ShipLab Report 5 - Arade 1 / 2002 Field Season, Vol. 2, 2002, World Wide Web, URL, http://nautarch.tamu.edu/shiplab/, Nautical Archaeology Program, Texas A&M University.