When several of the oak frames were in place and planking was being applied, the density of the oak was checked and the flotation levels estimated. These checks revealed that the ship would float higher than anticipated in the water, causing stability problems. To rectify the problem, a steel keel was attached beneath the original oak keel. This is the reason that the "Jeanie Johnston" draws more water than most ships of her size and cannot enter some ports the original ship would have been able to visit, e.g. Nantucket. However, she has proved to be remarkably stable even in the harshest weather conditions at sea. During her maiden voyage to America in March 2003 she was battered by Force 10 storm in the Bay of Biscay and similarly on the return voyage from Newfoundland in November 2003 and prevailed unscathed.