Splines are still used in
wooden boatbuilding, since most boats are drawn out full size or "
lofted" before construction begins. The most common type of spline used is a
batten, which is simply a very long strip of wood. The mechanical splines used by draftsmen are employed only for particularly tight curves that would break a batten.
During the construction of very large boats, large battens are used to make sure that all of the shapes being constructed are "
fair", that is, without any unwanted bumps or depressions.