The keel was the central beam used to lay the hull of a ship, or similar structural component of a starship.
According to Jonathan Archer, Starfleet laid the keel for Enterprise NX-01 in 2150. (ENT: "First Flight")
Upon investigating the supposed haunted, crash landed Kantare supply ship in 2151, Jonathan Archer theorized that scavengers tried to scare D'Marr off, but Travis Mayweather couldn't understand why, if that were the case, the scavengers hadn't already stripped the ship to its keel. (ENT: "Oasis")
| Sailing vessel components |
|---|
| Sails and solar sails: Course • Jib • Main sail • Royal • Spritsail •Stunsail • Topgallant sail |
| Spars: Mast • Yardarm • Rigging: Brace • Winch |
| Anchor • Ballast • Keel • Paddle • Plank • Porthole • Rudder • Sextant • Wheel |