Nautical Term: Lightening hole
Definition of Lightening hole
A significant opening carved into the body of a marine structure, such as a ship or a buoy, to shed excess weight.
By reducing the weight of the structural member, the overall stability and efficiency of the marine craft or installation can be improved.
For example, during a repair operation on a fishing vessel, the crew discovered that one of the bulkheads was severely weakened due to water damage. To prevent the bulkhead from collapsing and compromising the safety of the crew and the vessel, the decision was made to cut a lightening hole in the bulkhead to reduce its weight and improve its overall stability.
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