Plural of coble, which is a small flat-bottomed fishing boat used especially along the northeast coast of England.
From Middle English and Old Norse origins; coble comes from Scandinavian fishermen who settled in coastal England. The word likely derives from Old Norse 'kobbelr' or related root meaning a type of vessel.
Cobles are perfectly designed for North Sea fishing because their flat bottoms let them be easily beached and launched through surf—a brilliant adaptation that fishermen refined over a thousand years of experience.
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