VIKING SHIPS

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VIKING SHIPS

• VIKINGS WERE THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN WESTERN
  EUROPE BETWEEN ABOUT 700 AD TO 1200 AD
•  
• POWER BASED ON DOMINANCE OF THE SEAS FOR
•  - EXPLORATION
•  - TRADE
•  - RAIDING
•  
• DOMINANCE OF THE SEAS BASED ON THEIR
•  - SHIPS
•  - SHIPBUILDING ABILITY
•  - PEOPLE
•  

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VIKINGS WENT AS FAR - NORTH AS
ARCHANGEL , DOWN RUSSIAN RIVERS - SOUTH
AS EASTERN FRANCE , POSSIBLY EASTERN
MEDITERRANEAN - WEST AS ICELAND ,
GREENLAND AND NORTH AMERICA   WENT TO -
BRITAIN , IRELAND , FINLAND ,POLAND AND RUSSIA
- VIA RUSSIAN RIVERS AS FAR AS - THE
BLACK SEA AND THE BOSPHORUS - THE CASPIAN
SEA   BRITISH VIKING AGE FROM 793 AD RAID ON
LINDESFARNE TO 1066 AD BATTLE OF STAMFORD
BRIDGE ,NEAR YORK VIKINGS COLONISED PARTS OF
BRITAIN AND FRANCE
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VIKING SHIPS   THE DRAKKAR OR DRAGE ( DRAGON )
KAR (SHIP)   - FAST AND NARROW   -
INITIALLY PROPELLED BY OARS ONLY , LATER BY
SAIL   - LENGTHS 18m TO 35m, LENGTH TO BEAM
7. 0 , - DRAFTS 0.8m TO 1.0m - SMALLER
VERSIONS OF DRAKKARS WERE KNOWN AS SNEKARS
OR SNAKE SHIPS        
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• THE KNARR , HAFSKIP OR KARVI
• - LONG DISTANCE EXPLORATION AND TRADING  
  - LENGTHS 16 m TO 26 m , LENGTH TO BEAM 3.0 TO
  4.5 , DEEPER
• THAN DRAKKAR
• - LIKELY THE TYPE OF SHIP IN WHICH LEIF
  ERIKSSON AND BJARNI
• HERJOFSON MADE VOYAGES TO NORTH AMERICA
• SMALLER KNARRS ,
• - GENERALLY LESS THAN 16M LENGTH - THE
  WORKSHIPS OF
• NORTHERN EUROPE
•  
• THE NEF OR BUSS THE SMALLER TYPE OF VIKING SHIP
  USED FOR FISHING AND PEOPLE FERRIES.
•  

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DEVELOPMENT OF VIKING SHIPS   DEVELOPED OVER
ABOUT 5000 YEARS   STONE AGE DUG-OUTS AS EARLY
AS 5000BC ,BUILT FROM SOFT DURABLE LINDEN OR LIME
WOOD .AMOUNT OF WOOD HEWN OUT WAS SUBSTANTIAL TO
PROVIDE RELATIVELY LIGHT HULL   SEEKING DEEPER
HULLS HOLES WERE DRILLED IN UPPER SIDE OF DUG-OUT
AND PLANKS WITH MATCHING HOLES WERE LAPPED AND
LASHED TO THE DUG - OUT SIDES. THIS WAS BIRTH OF
EUROPEAN CLINKER BUILT HULLS   DEVELOPED THROUGH
BRONZE AGE AND IRON AGE TO THE FINAL STAGES OF
DEVELOPMENT OF 700 AD TO 1100 AD.   A NUMBER OF
VIKING SHIPS WERE FOUND IN 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY
TO ESTABLISH DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.  
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PRE AD 700 HJORTSPRING OR ALS BOAT - ABOUT
BC 350 BJORKE BOAT NYDAM BOAT - ABOUT AD 350
500 SUTTON HOO BOAT GREDSTEDBRO BOAT KVALSUND
BOAT ABOUT 700 AD BARSET BOAT
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AD 700 1200 BRUGES BOAT UTRECHT BOAT OSEBERG
SHIP GOKSTAD SHIP ABOUT AD 850 TUNE SHIP LADBY
SHIP - ABOUT AD 1000 GRAVENEY BOAT ARBY
BOAT SKULDELEV BOAT AD 1000
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HJORTSPRING OR ALS BOAT   EARLIEST KNOWN PLANK
BUILT BOAT IN SCANDINAVIA OR IN NORTHERN EUROPE ,
EXCEPT HUMBERSIDE FINDS FOUND SOUTHERN DENMARK
, 1921-22 , ESTIMATED BUILT 350 BC 18M LENGTH
, 2.0M BEAM - WARSHIP HULL FORMED BY 7 PIECES
OF LIME WOOD PLANKS.  BOTTOM FORMED BY HOLLOWED
OUT DEEP PLANK SIMILAR HOLLOWED OUT STEM AND
STERN POSTS TO FORM DOUBLE ENDED HULL    
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GARBOARD PLANKS WERE LAPPED AND SEWN ONTO BOTTOM
PLANK SHEERSTRAKE PLANK WAS LAPPED AND SEWN
ONTO GARBOARD STRAKE THESE PLANKS WERE RABBETTED
AND SEWN ONTO END PIECES CURVED ONE PIECE HAZEL
BRANCHES FORMED TRANSVERS RIBS ( FRAMES ) SPACED
ABOUT 1.0M WERE LASHED TO THE PLANKS VESSEL
ESTIMATED MANNED BY 16 MEN AND PROPELLED BY
PADDLES
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NYDAM OAK BOAT FOUND IN NYDAM , JUTLAND , 1863,
ESTIMATED BUILT 350 TO 400 AD 23.5 LENGTH 3.5M
BEAM AND 1.2M DEPTH BUILT ENTIRELY OF OAK ,WITH
THICK BOTTOM PLANK RUNNING LENGTH OF HULL
ATTACHED BY IRON NAILS TO STEM AND STERN
PIECES. FIVE PLANKS P S LAPPED AND NAILED ,
GARBOARD TO BOTTOM PLANK AND OTHERS TO EACH
OTHER. IRON NAILS WERE DRIVEN THROUGH THE LAPPED
PLANKS AND CLENCHED OVER ROVES ON INNER SURFACE
OF INNER PLANKS.   TRANSVERSE RIBS WERE LASHED BY
ANIMAL SINEWS TO DOUBLE CLEATS LEFT PROUD ON
PLANKS CLEAT DEPTH ABOUT TWICE PLANK THICKNESS
, OR PLANK ORIGINAL THICKNESS THREE TIMES
FINISHED THICKNESS 
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• NYDAM OAK BOAT
• WHY WERE FRAMES NOT NAILED AS WERE PLANKS ?
• PROBABLY A STEP IN EVOLUTION BY WHICH BUILDERS
  WISHED TO RETAIN THE FLEXIBILITY PROVIDED AND
  PROVEN BY LASHING RIBS TO STRAKES
• BY ATTACHING FRAMES ON INSIDE TO PLANKS WITH
  ANIMAL SINEWS ALL REPAIRS COULD BE DONE WITH BOAT
  AFLOAT
• NO TRACE OF MAST FOUND.
• PROPELLED BY ESTIMATED 30 OARSMEN
• THIS TYPE OF VESSEL SIMILAR TO VESSEL FOUND AT
  SUTTON HOO IN EAST ANGLIA
•  
• ADVANCES IN NYDAM SHIP WERE
• USE OF IRON NAILS TO CONNECT LAPPED PLANKS
• OARS REPLACING PADDLES.

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KVALSUND SHIP   FOUND 150 MILES NORTH OF BERGEN
, NORWAY,ESTIMATED BUILT ABOUT 700 AD 18M
LENGTH , 3M BEAM AND 0.8M DEEP - SEA-GOING SHIP
FULL BODIED HULL BUT NO EVIDENCE OF MAST BROAD
BOTTOM PLANK HEWN OUT TO FORM A TEE SECTION ,
EXTERNAL VERTICAL STEM OF THE TEE FORMED A
VERTICAL KEEL HULL BUILT ENTIRELY OF OAK STRAKES
, STRAKES WERE NARROWER TO MAKE EASIER TO
BEND. STRAKES MADE IN SEVERAL LENGTHS , SCARPHED
TO EACH OTHER BY CLENCHED IRON NAILS.
  GARBOARD STRAKES WERE LAPPED AND NAILED TO THE
UPWARD SLOPED FLANGES OF TEE SECTION KEEL
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KVALSUND SHIP OTHER STRAKES LAPPED , NAILED AND
CLENCHED TO EACH OTHER. AT ENDS THE STRAKES WERE
RABBETTED AND NAILED TO THE STEM AND STERN
PIECES. TRANSVERSE RIBS (FRAMES ), SPACED ABOUT
1.0M , WERE OF PINE AND LASHED TO LOWER STRAKES
BY ANIMAL SINEWS THROUGH CLEATS LEFT PROUD ON
STRAKES UPPER STRAKES WERE ATTACHED TO RIBS BY
TRENAILS AND IRON SPIKES BY ATTACHING FRAMES ON
INSIDE TO LOWER PLANKS WITH ANIMAL SINEWS ALL
REPAIRS COULD BE DONE WITH BOAT AFLOAT. TRENAILS
CONNECTING UPPER STRAKES TO RIBS COULD ALSO
POSSIBLY BE REPAIRED WITH VESSEL AFLOAT THWARTS
OR CROSS BEAMS WERE ATTACHED TO RIBS BY IRON
NAILS.  
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KVALSUND SHIP ADVANCES IN KVALSUND SHIP WERE -
TEE SHAPED KEEL - HIGHER NUMBER OF NARROWER
STRAKES - UPPER STRAKES ATTACHED TO PLANKS BY
TRENAILS - SCARPHED STRAKES - USE OF IRON
NAILS TO CONNECT THWARTS TO RIBS  
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  OSEBERG SHIP FOUND ON OSLO FJORD IN A BURIAL
MOUND .ESTIMATED BUILT ABOUT 800 AD 21.58 M
LENGTH, 5.10M BEAM AND 1.58 M DEPTH   CONSTRUCTION
OF OSEBERG SHIP WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE GOKSTAD
SHIP BOTH WITH MANY MORE NARROWER
STRAKES OSEBERG SHIP WAS MORE SPECTACULAR WITH
HIGHLY ORNATE STEM AND SERN POSTS. WITH LESSER
DEPTH WAS MORE LIKELY FOR COASTAL AND CEREMONIAL
SERVICE.
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GOKSTAD SHIP FOUND NEAR VESTFELD NORWAY IN
1880. ESTIMATED BUILT ABOUT 890 AD 23.24 M
LENGTH ,5.25 M BEAM AND 2.02 M DEPTH. ESTIMATED
DISPLACEMENT 20.2 TONNES. CARRIED UP TO 60 MEN ,
TWO ROWING CREWS GOKSTAD SHIP BUILT LATER THAN
THE OSEBERG SHIP AND FOR LONGER VOYAGES MORE
REPRESENTATIVE OF A TYPICAL OCEAN-GOING VIKING
SHIP GOKSTAD SHIP WAS DEEPER THAN THE OSEBERG
SHIP AND MORE LIKELY USED FOR NORTH SEA OR
ATLANTIC VOYAGES.
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GOKSTAD SHIP   BUILT ENTIRELY OF OAK WITH
EXCEPTION OF PINE MAST AND DECK. HULL WAS CLINKER
BUILT WITH 16 STRAKES P S . TEE SHAPED KEEL
WITH STEM EXTENDING BELOW WITH UPWARD SLOPING
FLANGES WAS ABOUT 17.6 M LENGTH , 370MM DEEP
AMIDSHIPS INCREASING TO ABOUT 400 MM AT THER ENDS
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MEGINHUFR OR DEEP
STRAKE , 44MM THICK , STRAKES WERE 26 MM THICK.
GARBOARD STRAKES WERE LAPPED AND IRON NAILED TO
THE FLANGES OF THE KEEL.THE REMAINING STRAKES
WERE LAPPED AND NAIL CLENCHED TO EACH OTHER. IRON
NAILS WERE SPACED ABOUT 180 MM  
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GOKSTAD SHIP STRAKES WERE SUPPORTED BY ONE PIECE
TRANSVERSE RIBS HEWN FORM CURVED BRANCHES OF OAK
TREES ,SPACED ABOUT 0.9M APART STRAKES TWO TO
EIGHT WERE LASHED TO THE RIBS THROUGH CLEATS
LEFT PROUD ON THE STRAKES. THE NINTH STRAKE WAS
ATTACHED TO RIBS BY TRENAILS AND TENTH STRONG OR
MEGINHUFR STRAKE WAS ALSO ATTACHED TO RIBS AND
TO CROSS BEAMS BY TRENAILS SIX STRAKES ABOVE THIS
WERE SUPPORTED BY KNEES STRAKES WERE ATTACHED TO
THE KNEES BY TRENAILS KNEES WERE NAILED TO THE
CROSS BEAMS   THE STRAKES WERE RABBETTED AND
NAILED TO THE STEM AND STERN POSTS.
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GOKSTAD SHIP LIMITED USE OF TRENAILS TO CONNECT
THE UPPER STRAKES TO THE RIBS WAS PRECURSOR OF
EVENTUAL PRACTICE TO CONNECT ALL STRAKES TO RIBS
BY TRENAILS.   A KEELSON WAS FITTED ON TOP OF THE
KEEL TO TAKE THE 300 MM DIAMETER PINE MAST
KEELSON WAS 3.75 M IN LENGTH ,400MM DEEP AND 600
MM WIDE. KEELSON IS ATTACHED TO ADJACENT RIBS BY
SUBSTANTIIAL KNEES , BUT IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE
KEEL   THE HULLS WERE COATED WITH TAR OR LINSEED
OIL LAPPED JOINTS BETWEEN STRAKES WERE CAULKED
WITH ROPE OF TWISTED ANIMAL HAIR SOAKED IN TAR
OR TARRED WOOL.  
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LADBY SHIP FOUND ON ISLAND OF FYNEN IN DENMARK
20.6 m LENGTH 2.9 M BEAM TYPICAL LONG NARROW
RAIDING SHIP LITTLE OF CONSTRUCTION
KNOWN SKULDELEV WRECK 5 FOUND IN EARLY 1960S
IN ROSKILDE, DENMARK, IS OF SMILAR LENGTH AND
BEAM AS THE LADBY SHIP SUFFICIENT OF HULL
RECOVERED TO DETERMINE THE MIDSHIP SECTION MANY
NARROW PLANKS NAILED TO EACH OTHER WITH NAILS
CLENCHED OVER ROVES AND GARBOARD PLANKS NAILED
TO T SHAPED KEEL PLANKS CONNECTED TO RIBS (
FRAMES ) BY TRENAILS AT THIS LATE DEVELOPMENT
STAGE PLANKS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE RIBS BY
LASHINGS AND CLEATS
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MASTS RIGGING MASTS WERE OF PINE , 300 MM
DIAMETER ON LARGER SHIPS SET INTO HEAVY OAK
KEELSONS FITTED ON TOP OF KEEL ATTACHED TO
ADJACENT REINFORCED RIBS BY SUBSTANTIAL
KNEES MASTS PASSED THROUGH SUBSTANTIAL CROSS
BEAMS   MAST WAS SUPPORTED BY A FORE STAY , BACK
STAY AND BY SHROUDS ATTACHED TO THE GUNWALE ABOUT
1.0 TO 2.0 M AFT OF THE MAST .   UPPER EDGE OF
SAIL WAS ATTACHED TO A PINE YARD , WHICH WAS
ATTACHED TO THE RAKKE OR WOOD COLLAR FITTED ONTO
THE MAST ROPES WERE ATTACHED TO OUTBOARD ENDS OF
YARD LEADING DOWN TO THE GUNWALE, PS   LOWER
EDGE OF SAIL WAS REINFORCED BY A LEATHER STRIP ,
ROPES WERE ATTACHED TO OUTBOARD CORNERS OF SAIL ,
LEADING DOWN TO GUNWALE.
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MASTS RIGGING A POLE OR SPAR WAS ATTACHED TO
THE LOWER CORNER OF THE SAIL AND USED TO ANGLE
THE SAIL TO BE ABLE TO SAIL TOWARDS THE
WIND.   UNDER SAIL VIKING SHIPS COULD SAIL TO
WITHIN 60O TO THE WIND   SAILS WERE MADE OF WOOL
OR LINEN FROM FLAX. SMALL PIECES OF SAIL WERE
WOVEN AND EDGED WITH LEATHER AND COATED WITH WAX
TO HELP THE SAIL KEEP SHAPE UNDER WET CONDITIONS
  ALL OF SAIL PIECES WERE SEWN TOGETHER TO FORM
THE LARGE SQUARE SAIL  
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CONSTRUCTION OF LATER VIKING SHIPS BUILT
PRIMARILY OF OAK WITH PINE MASTS AND
DECKS STRAKES AND KEELS OBTAINED BY SPLITTING
LOGS RADIALLY FIRST IN HALVES , THEN QUARTERS
,ETC UNTIL A 1.0 M LOG PRODUCED ABOUT 20
STRAKES BY SPLITTING THE LOGS THIS WAY WOOD GRAIN
RAN PARALLEL TO STRAKES , ATTAINING MAXIMUM
FLEXURAL STRENGTH.  RIBS AND KNEES WERE HEWN
FROM THE CURVED BRANCHES OF TREES , GENERALLY OAK
, SOMETIMES PINE. OUTBOARD EDGE OF RIBS WERE
STEPPED TO FIT FLUSH WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF
CLINKER BUILT STRAKES UPPER OUTBOARD EDGES OF
STRAKES WERE CHAMFERED TO PROVIDE GOOD WIDTH
PARALLEL INTERFACE CONTACT BETWEEN LAPPED
PLANKS.TO ENSURE UNIFORM CONTACT WHEN NAILED AND
TO EFFECTIVELY RETAIN CAULKING MATERIAL    
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  CONSTRUCTION OF LATER VIKING SHIPS PLANKED
HULL WAS CONSTRUCTED AFTER WHICH RIBS WERE
FITTED   IN LAST STAGES OF VIKING SHIP
DEVELOPMENT STRAKES WERE NAILED TO KEEL AND TO
EACH OTHER BY IRON NAILS , CLENCHED OVER ROVES ON
THE INNER SURFACE OF STRAKES   STRAKES WERE
CONNECTED TO RIBS AND KNEES BY TRENAILS. CONTACT
SURFACE OF THE OUTER STRAKE WAS GROOVED TO HOLD
ANIMAL HAIR SOAKED WITH TAR AS CAULKING BETWEEN
STRAKES AFTER NAILING AND CLENCHING A
REASONABLY WATERTIGHT CONNECTION WAS FORMED
BAILING ONCE / TWO DAYS CONSIDERED NORMAL   WE
WERE UNABLE TO FIND OUT HOW IRON NAILS IN STRAKES
WERE PROTECTED AGAINST CORROSION PROBABLY
COATED IN TAR OR RESIN
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STABILITY WE FOUND NO USEFUL REFERENCES ON THE
INTACT STABILITY OF VIKING SHIPS. WE EXPECT
VIKING SHIPS WOULD HAVE PROBABLY CARRIED WATER
BALLAST IN SKIN BAGS AND PERHAPS SOLID BALLAST
IN THE FORM OF ROCKS OR BAGGED SHINGLE  
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CLOSE OF THE VIKING ERA BY ABOUT 1250 AD THE
GROWING STRENGTH OF LARGER EUROPEAN KINGDOMS
ENCOURAGED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANOTHER TYPE OF
CARGO SHIP .GERMAN MERCHANTS OF THE HANSEATIC
LEAGUE FAVOURED GERMAN SHIPBUILDERS THE PROFIT-
DRIVING FORCE LED TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE
HANSEATIC SAILING COG WITH ITS DEEPER DRAFT AND
DEPTH , AND LARGER CARGO HOLD THAN THAT OF THE
VIKING KNARR FOR BALTIC TRADING HOWEVER THE
VIKING SHIPS CONTINUED TO OPERATE LOCALLY IN
SCANDINAVIAN WATERS IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO
ASSESS THE CONSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF THE
HANSEATIC SAILING COG COMPARED TO THE VIKING
SHIPS
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• PRESENT PRACTICE - CONSTRUCTION
• FROM KNOWLEDGE OF CONSTRUCTION OF NORTH EAST
  COAST FISHING COBLES
• TRADITIONAL METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION OF COBLES IS
  SIMILAR TO THAT DESCRIBED FOR VIKING SHIPS IN
  THEIR FINAL DEVELOPMENT STAGE .
• EXCEPT
• COPPER NAILS ARE USED INSTEAD OF IRON NAILS TO
  CONNECT THE PLANKS TO EACH OTHER
• - STRAKES ARE CONNECTED TO FRAMES ALSO BY COPPER
  NAILS.
• - OAK KEELS AND FRAMES
• - LARCH PLANKS USED IN PLACE OF OAK
• WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE METHOD OF
  CAULKING BETWEEN THE LAPPED STRAKES OF FISHING
  COBLES
•  

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COMPARISON OF SCANTLINGS - PLANKS COMPARISON OF
PRESENT PLANK OR STRAKE THICKNESS REQUIREMENTS
WITH PAST PRACTICE GOKSTAD SHIP CLINKER BUILT
- 26 mm THICK OAK STRAKES , TRANSVERSE FRAMES AT
900 mm SANTA MARIA , PINTA NINA CARVEL BUILT
- 50 mm THICK OAK PLANKS , TRANSVERSE FRAMES AT
ABOUT 500 mm ABS GUIDE FOR OFFSHORE RACING
YACHTS REQUIREMENTS - CARVEL BUILT - 64 mm
OAK THICK PLANKS TRANSVERSE FRAMES AT 900 mm (
NOTE CARVEL PLANKS GENERALLY NOT CONNECTED TO
EACH OTHER ) - STRIP PLANK 27 mm THICK OAK
PLANKS , TRANSVERSE FRAMES AT 900 mm ( STRIP
PLANKS LIKE CLINKER BUILT PLANKS ARE CONNECTED TO
EACH OTHER )
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   PRESENT PRACTICE HULL FORM PRESENT DESIGN
PRACTICE FOR SAILING YACHTS Lwl / B 3.2 TO
5.0 Lwl / d 14 TO 20 Lwl / ? 1/3
5 TO 6.5    GOKSTAD SHIP  L oa 23.24 m
ESTIMATE L wl 19.75 m B max 5.25 m
Bwl 0.80 max D 2.02 m d 1.0 m ? 20.2
tonnes ( ESTIMATED BY INFORMATION SOURCE ) TO 25
T0NNES  Lwl / B 3.76 - Lwl / d 19.75
- Lwl / ? 1/3 6.76 THIS VALUE SEEMS HIGH ,
POSSIBLY THE DRAFT AND DISPLACEMENT GIVEN DO NOT
INCLUDE BALLAST
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PRESENT PRACTICE - HULL FORM - Cb 25 x1.025 /
19.75 x 0.8 x 5.25 x 1.0 0.31 (THIS VALUE SEEMS
LOW)   VALUES ARE REASONABLY COMPARABLE TO THOSE
OF TODAYS HIGHLY DESIGNED SAILING YACHTS   IT
IS POSSIBLE THAT THE VIKING SHIP CARRIED SOLID
BALLAST IN WHICH CASE DISPLACEMENT WOULD HAVE
BEEN GREATER WHICH WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE LENGTH
TO DISPLACEMENT RATIO DOWN AND INCREASED THE Cb ,
NOTING THE 1.0M DRAFT IS AN ESTIMATE FROM
SOURCE HIGH FREEBOARDS AT END PROVIDED RESERVE
BUOANCY TO LIFT ENDS WHEN ENCOUNTERING WAVES

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  REPLICAS MORE THAN 40 REPLICAS OF VIKING
SHIPS BUILT ABOUT 10 OR MORE WERE OF THE
GOKSTAD SHIP VALUABLE ASPECTS OF REPLICAS ARE
ABILITY TO - ASSESS OPERATING PERFORMANCE -
ASSESS AND APPRECIATE BUILDERS CRAFTMANSHIP -
CORRELATE STRENGTH WITH TODAYS STANDARDS FOR
VESSELS OF SAME SIZE AND SIMILAR
CONSTRUCTION. DENMARK , NORWAYAND SWEDEN BUILT
MOST REPLICAS FOLLOWED BY US AND FINLAND .SEVERAL
OTHER COUNTRIES , INCLUDING WALES HAVE BUILT AT
LEAST ONE REPLICA
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• CONCLUSIONFOREGOING IS TO DOCUMENT OUTSTANDING
  ABILITY OF VIKING SHIPWRIGHTS AND BUILDERS WHO
  WERE ABLE TO BUILD , MORE THAN 1000 YEARS AGO ,
  SHIPS THAT ARE NOT SO DIFFERENT IN CONSTRUCTION ,
  HULL FORM AND SCANTLINGS THAN SIMILAR SIZE AND
  TYPE OF WOOD VESSELS BUILT TODAY
• TWO OUTSTANDING FACTS REMAIN THAT SEEM TO
  SURPASS TODAYS TECHNOLOGY
• VIKING SHIPS WERE THE ONLY OCEAN GOING SHIPS THAT
  
• WERE ALSO ABLE TO BE USED AS LANDING CRAFT
• WERE ALSO ABLE TO BE MOVED MANUALLY OVERLAND
• ROBERT CURRY ABS