solepiece

solepiece

[′sōl‚pēs]

(civil engineering)

One of two steel plates, port and starboard, whose forward parts are bolted to the ground ways supporting a ship about to be launched, while their aft parts are attached to the sliding ways; at the start of the launch, they are cut simultaneously with burning torches to release the ship. Also known as soleplate.

(naval architecture)

A member attached to the bottom of the rudder of a wooden ship, which brings it down to the false keel.

A member which joins the sternpost and the rudderpost of a wooden ship.

A projection from the keel of a ship.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

solepiece

1. A horizontal member used to distribute the thrust of one or more uprights, posts, or struts.

2. A member on which the foot of a raking shore rests.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.