fin keel

American  

noun

Nautical.

1. a finlike projection extending downward from the keel of a sailboat, serving to prevent lateral motion and acting as additional ballast.

---

fin keel British  

noun

1. a projection from the keel of a vessel to give it additional stability

---

Example Sentences

Its shallow hull, vertical bow and narrow fin keel made the boats into clean and efficient sea missiles.

From The Wall Street Journal

Her fin keel struck bottom, and her main topmast lurched and shivered as if about to come down upon our heads.

From Project Gutenberg