[spanalot]

"BTW, it's spelled "gunwales" and pronounced "gunnels". Nothing to do with whales"

Well I never got used to those new fangled spellings and most wood boats would sink were it not for its "Whales".

"Basic parts of a wooden boat:

Keel, stem, stern, strakes, frames, whales, gunwhales, stringers,
thwarts, keelson, mast step, stealers, rigging,"

And re: the importance of a broad beam for stability, that is why trawlers come in thru the inlets with their outriggers down - to lower their CG and keep it within the beam. In fact i saw one go down in Barnegat Inlet not far from Brielle - I think it kills more than any other inlet on east coast.

[AnAmericanMother]

Barnegat is a bad place. It was featured as a Bad Example in my old Chapman's.

My parents live on the GA coast in the shrimp capital of the SE - Darien GA. The shrimp fleet comes up the Darien River to dock. Different issues from NJ - lots of shallow tidal water. The tides are tough - 9-10' usually - and lots of currents, shifting sandbars and mudbanks galore. You have to be a good seaman to work out of there.