A gabbart is a type of lighter or

barge A barge is typically a flat-bottomed boat, flat-bottomed vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. Original use was on inland waterways, while modern use is on both inland and ocean, marine water environments. The firs ...

used from the 17th to the 19th century. Gabbarts were small, one-masted sailing or coasting vessels. They were used mostly for

inland navigation Inland navigation, inland barge transport or inland waterway transport (IWT) is a transport system allowing ships and barges to use inland waterways (such as canals, rivers and lakes). These waterways have inland ports, marinas, quays, and wharfs ...

—notably on the

River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

—and transported mainly coal and fish (mainly

herring Herring are various species of forage fish, belonging to the Order (biology), order Clupeiformes. Herring often move in large Shoaling and schooling, schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate wate ...

). An 1877 source claims that "Gabbarts are boats of from 30 to 40 tons, which, before the railway was opened to Balloch, carried coals etc., from the Clyde, up the River Leven, to various places on the banks of the Loch, taking back cargoes of slates or timber." A Gabbart can also refer to the typical Scottish sailing barge, from which most Scottish Canal craft were developed. These barges were long, narrow, and flat vessels or lighter with a hatchway extending almost the full length of the decks, which were sometimes fitted with masts that may be lowered to pass under bridges.

References

Ship types Scottish design Ships of Scotland 17th century in Scotland 18th century in Scotland 19th century in Scotland Sailing in Scotland Coal in Scotland {{Design-stub

See also

References