Touch

nounStandard termMaritime

The widest section of a tapered hull plank, or the angle of stern timbers at the counter.

In traditional wooden shipbuilding, the widest part of a tapered plank that has been shaped to fit an alternating pattern (like top and but). It also refers to the specific angle or junction where the stern timbers meet the counter, forming the complex curvature of the ship's aft section.

Heard on the job

Make sure the touch of the plank aligns perfectly with the adjacent strake before you drive the trunnels.