garboard

The garboard is a plank in a wooden ship's hull that is located at the garboard strake. The garboard strake is the row of planks nearest the keel. This strake is usually the thickest and strongest in the hull because it takes on the most stress. The garboard plank, being the lowest plank in this strake, is particularly important for the structural integrity of the vessel, especially when it rests on the ground or comes into contact with the seabed. Its unique position requires careful fitting and fastening to the keel and the adjacent planks.

Historically, shipwrights paid great attention to the garboard plank due to its critical role. It often required specific shaping to fit snugly against the keel and to transition smoothly into the rest of the hull planking. The thickness and quality of the wood used for the garboard were paramount. Damage to the garboard could compromise the entire hull's watertightness and structural strength, making its maintenance and repair a high priority for shipowners and mariners. The term itself is specific to shipbuilding and refers to this lowest, most vital plank.