What is a Northumberland Coble?

Thinking and writing about how the Apalachicola oyster sloop was shaped by its environment and function has, un-expectedly, prepared me to think and write about a work boat type called the Northumberland Coble (rhymes with gobble), also known as the Yorkshire Coble, and the Whitby Coble. All of these places being on the North East coast of England, bordering the North Sea.

The Coble evolved from the need to make a living from fishing in the waters of the North Sea. In the absence of suitable harbors or protected anchorages it was necessary for small fishing boats along the coast to be launched through the surf and returned to land by coming back through the surf, hopefully loaded with fish.

This post is focused on the very specific and somewhat unusual characteristics of the Coble. An upcoming post will focus on how these characteristics were conceived and used; a process found in many kinds of working sail in many different places across the oceans of our planet.