Gollum has asked: Weight in my belly, Trees on my back, Nails in my ribs, Feet I do lack. No, boat and ship, are not the answers.

Sorry but this is an old riddle - and Ship is the answer.,

Righty right! I have to learn not to do riddles, help kids with homework, cook dinner..., in other words be a Mom, all at the same time.

not knowing mych about boats - how does the "trees on my back" thing work?

(and welcome Joni! )

The deck of the ship, I suppose, Copago.

Fosse, I have heard this one before, too, and you are correct. The 'trees on my back' refers to the masts on a sailing ship.

Ohhhhhh now I get it. Duhhhhhh.

Sorry should have explained

Weight in my belly refers to the ballast (weight) in the widest part of the ship or boat (the belly).

Trees (Masts) on my Back (not strictly accurate) deck.

Nails (fixings not necessarily iron nails or rivets) into the Ribs (the shaped formers that give the boat it's shape)
Boats obviously don't have feet but!
I think the riddle actually continues with the line
Feet I do lack but hands I have many (referring to the crew)

I know I’m risking looking like a git, but doesn’t “No, Boat and Ship, are not the answers”, rule boat and ship out?

Erasurehead, I think she was doing too much at once, and the riddle got muddled somewhat ("Righty right! I have to learn not to do riddles, help kids with homework, cook dinner..., in other words be a Mom, all at the same time."). I suspect that the answer really is ship, and something happened in the translation of telling the riddle in the first place!