Nautical Term: Soft plate
Definition of Soft plate
A soft plate refers to a watertight plate designed to cover and secure over a break or hole in a ship’s hull. The plate is typically secured in place with tap bolts. To ensure the plate is watertight, it is often fitted with a gasket made of materials like canvas saturated in red lead.
For instance, in the event of a hole in a ship’s hull caused by a rogue anchor, a soft plate could be used to cover and secure the damaged area. Once the soft plate is in place, the ship can continue its journey, with the watertight soft plate protecting the interior of the ship from the outside elements.
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