Nautical Term: Stealer or steeler

Definition of Stealer or steeler

A stealer or stealer plate refers to the outermost plate in a strake, which is intentionally left shorter than the stem or stern post of a vessel.

For instance, during the construction of a wooden ship, the shipwright may purposefully leave the stealer plate in the foremost or aftermost strake shorter than the stem or stern post. This will allow the vessel to more easily ride over waves and absorb the impact of the water against the hull.

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