Nautical Term: Tie plates
Definition of Tie plates
Tie plates refer to a specific type of fore-and-aft or diagonal plating that is attached to deck beans underneath a wooden deck. This additional plating serves to bolster the overall structural integrity of the wooden deck by distributing the load more evenly across the deck beans.
For instance, consider a sailboat with a wooden deck. During a rough sea conditions, the weight of the water pressing against the deck can become quite substantial. If the deck beans are unable to support this heavy load, the wooden deck could potentially collapse, putting the crew and passengers at risk.
To mitigate this risk, the sailboat’s wooden deck could be reinforced with additional plating in the form of tie plates. By attaching these tie plates to the deck beans underneath the wooden deck, the overall structural integrity of the deck is significantly improved. As a result, the sailboat is better able to withstand the heavy loads and rough sea conditions that it may encounter during its time on the water.
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