Stem (ship)
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The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively.
A model of the French ship Soleil Royal held at the Musée National de la Marine de Paris. The most forward and lowest curved part of the ship is the stem (not normally the extended part beyond the hull).
The bow of the oil and chemical tanker Bro Elizabeth in dry dock in Brest, France. This ship does not have a stem.
Keel
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The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The laying of
Stem (ship)
…The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to the gunwale…
Keel laid for the USS United States in drydock
Sailing yacht with a fin keel