A centre-line strength member running fore and aft along the bottom of a ship and often referred to as the backbone. It is composed either of long bars or timbers scarfed at their ends or by flat plates connected together by riveting or welding.
Umgca osembindini onamandla olilungu ohamba ngaphambili ngasesiqwini senqanawe umzantsi wenqanawe rhoqo kubhekiselelwe kuyo njengomxhasi. Yenziwa ngeentonga ezinde okanye ngamaplanga esiphelweni sawo okanye ngokudityanisiweyo ngokudibanisa iintsimbi ezimbini ngesikhonkwane okanye.