Wale (ship part)

A wale is one of the strakes of wooden planking that forms the outer skin of the hull of a ship, but substantially thicker than the other strakes. It provides extra stiffening and strength to the hull. It was a common feature of heavy wooden ship construction, particularly from the Middle Ages to the early years of the 19th century, being a major constructional component of ships like USS Constitution, HMS Victory and many earlier vessels.^[1][2]

Profile view of ship frames doubled by "ripping off the planks, and putting second timbers upon the first timbers, and upon them again other planks (Perrin 1929, 92)." The wale remains in situ, as a structural stringer.

A wale (or "waler") is a horizontal supporting member of a concrete forming system, vertically reinforced by a "strongback".

A wale is also a horizontal member of a geotechnical tieback wall, which transmits the force from the tieback to the beams.^{[citation needed][clarification needed]}

See also

• Strake