A brief description of the many water vessels that plied the Ohio river.

Researched by Sharon M. Kouns

Types of river craft

Barge - A flat-bottomed boat used mainly for transporting goods on inland waters. Several barges can be connected and pushed by a towboat. Still seen on the Ohio River.

Bat Wing - A side-wheel steamer with no covering over the wheels.

Canoe - A long, light weight, narrow boat with both ends coming to a sharp point and sides curved. Propelled by oars or paddles. Today, there are many different shapes and styles of canoe.

Coal Boat - Usually a smaller boat that transported coal for the larger steamboats in earlier times. Often going ahead of the big boat and loading more coal - meeting the larger boat at the next landing.

Dish Boat - Feather Boat - Boats were often known for the products they carried.

Ferry Boat - A boat used to carry passengers, goods, animals and later years, vehicles, across the river from bank to bank.

Flatboat - A flat bottomed boat used for transportation in shallow waters.

Floating Palace - A carnival and/or showboat.

Gospel Boat - A boat carrying religious groups up and down the river.

Gun Boat - An armed ship of shallow draft.

Houseboat - Boat used as a dwelling. Some were also known as

Shanty boats.

Indian “Bull” Boat - The Indians made this type of water craft from tree limbs and treated buffalo hide.

Keel Boat - A shallow covered keeled riverboat that is usually rowed, poled or towed and used for freight.

Paddlewheel - A steamer propelled by a paddle wheel.

Propeller - uses a propeller. A propeller is a devise that consists of a central hub with radiating blades placed and twisted that each forms part of a helical surface and that is used to propel a vehicle.

Raft - A collection of logs made from timber fastened together for transportation. A flat structure for support.

Rowboat - A small craft designed to be moved by hand-driven oars.

Shanty Boat - A small crudely built dwelling usually of wood.

Showboat - A steamboat or barge containing a theater for entertainment along the river. Sometimes the theater was on a barge, pushed by a towboat.

Steamboat - A vessel propelled by steam.

Sternwheeler - A steamboat driven by a single paddle wheel at the stern.

Store Boat - Before the modern day grocery stores and department stores, the only means of obtaining goods and produce from the outside world was by storeboats.

Torpedo Boat - Boats armed with torpedos.

Tow Boat - A compact shallow draft boat with a squared bow designed and fitted for pushing tows of barges on inland waterways.

If you know of others please submit them to us.