1. The planks or strakes of a ship's hull that are nearest to the keel, forming the first layer of planking above the keel.
Usage: nautical; plural form; singular is garboard; technical shipbuilding term

Examples

• The shipwright carefully fitted the garboards to the keel before adding the upper planks.
• The garboards of the wooden vessel were made from oak to withstand the pressure of the water.
• Damage to the garboards required extensive repairs to restore the ship's hull integrity.
• The master builder inspected the garboards to ensure they were properly caulked and sealed.