Hogging and sagging

As Kiel fracture refers to a gradual deformation (and thus damage) of - especially wood - the hulls of ships.

The keel fracture occurs at floating in the water ships by the different buoyancy of the bow and stern, in contrast to the rest ( middle part ) of the hull.

At the bow and stern acts less lift than on the central part of the hull due to the narrower and less deep there expectant hull ( the so there is less displacement ). This tilt the bow and stern to lie lower in the water - on the central part of the hull "hang" to - whereby the hull gradually bends.

A keel fracture occurs, especially for large, long and long in the water timber ships. Additional weight by ship forts enhances the effect.

Others

Often the physical breakage of the keel, the supporting member of the hull, for example, by running onto a shoal keel fraction is referred to as.

The loss of the keel with a keel yacht ( sailing ship) is not a keel breaking in the true sense, but leads to a complete loss of stability of the ship. It is caused by capsize very quickly even at low side winds or waves, and likely to fall.