boat-building-msg - 1/21/08 Building boats using medieval techniques. Modern re-creations of medieval boats and ships. NOTE: See also the files: med-ships-art, nav-inst-msg, Seakeeping-p1-art, ships-bib, ships-msg, tools-msg, travel-foods-msg, travel-msg, nav-inst-msg, Nav-Crosstaff-art. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ From: "Ciamar? I'm so confused..." Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Boat Building. Anyone do it? Date: Mon, 03 Mar 1997 15:12:25 -0600 Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas Morgoth wrote: > Does anyone do any boat/ship building using medieval techniques, > styles/etc? > > Fr. Morgoth, Cyberabbey of St. Cyril check out: http://pages.prodigy.com/valencia/skelmir.html Hope that helps! --Ciamar? From: fvigil at aol.com (Fvigil) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Boat Building. Anyone do it? Date: 3 Mar 1997 22:27:21 GMT Master Hal Isenross has. E-mail him at harald at KSU.EDU. Fernando ***************************************** Sir Fernando Rodriguez de Falcon, Baron of Three Rivers - Calontir ***************************************** Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: destry at netcom.com (Fellwalker) Subject: Re: Boat Building. Anyone do it? Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 00:24:38 GMT We just did a coracle building demo at Great Western War in Caid last month...we'll probably be buildingat least a few more this year (when I trim my mulberry tree). We're also gearing up for some lapstrake Norse boats. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone else building period boats :-) --Morgan (Max) Royal Crescent Navy, Caid Sleepy Cat Graphis http://emporium.turnpike.net/Z/zen/index.html P.O. Box 608048 - The Church of Zen Fatalism - San Diego, CA 92160 Artful Things Gallery From: morric at bitsmart.com Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Boat Building. Anyone do it? Date: 3 Mar 1997 17:49:30 -0800 I'm surprised no one else has brought this up yet, but while we're on the subject: Author Hodding Carter and assoc's. have commissioned the construction of a clinker-built Viking ship by master boatbuilder Rob Stevens in Maine. An Atlantic passage is planned this summer. (from CBS News' "Travels with Harry") The ship's working title at the yard? The Kevorkian. Morric morric at bitsmart.com From: Matthew Legge Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Boat Building. Anyone do it? Date: Tue, 04 Mar 1997 12:27:27 +0800 Also in Fremantle Western Australia they are building a sea worthy replica of the "Duyfken", a small Dutch vessal of the VOC circa 1606. From: "Paul A. Byers" Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Boat Building. Anyone do it? Date: Tue, 04 Mar 1997 12:42:21 -0600 Organization: The University of Arkansas Master Hal of Calontir got his Larel for boat building and research. Pavel Calontir Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: destry at netcom.com (Fellwalker) Subject: Re: Starting a Boat/Ship Building Guild (Innerkingdom)? Date: Wed, 5 Mar 1997 21:54:30 GMT Morgoth (morgoth at nome.net) wrote: : Anyone in top starting one, or is there already one? : I can imagine at Pennsic and other a events, the : Guildmaster/Mistresses of Each Kingdoms Guilds getting together : to discuss what major project to work on next. Or just talk B.S. The West Kingdom and Caid have "Royal Navies" (which are their nautical guilds), and do include those interested in boatbuilding. Someone in Artemisia was looking at our charters recently with hopes of starting one there, also. I know AnTir used to have one, as one gentle built a number of Viking boats, but I believe he's no longer in the SCA. Outlands doesn't have one YET, but I've been throwing friendly hints in their direction :-). Caid has been building coracles, and we'll be working on a small Viking boat (working up to a small Viking _ship_) this year (scheduling always hinges on funds, y'know). West has expressed interest in participating if we get the boat building going in conjunction with the Maritime Museum. Caid and West met this year at GWW in Caid, and next year we hope to have a few more boats on the lake :-) (and maybe a few more Navies to join us? :-) --Morgan (Max...sorry, not very eloquent this morning *yawn) Sleepy Cat Graphis http://emporium.turnpike.net/Z/zen/index.html P.O. Box 608048 - The Church of Zen Fatalism - San Diego, CA 92160 Artful Things Gallery From: tipan at pluto.njcc.com (TAI-PAN) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Starting a Boat/Ship Building Guild (Innerkingdom)? Date: 5 Mar 1997 20:08:11 GMT In article , Morgoth says: > >Anyone in top starting one, or is there already one? >I can imagine at Pennsic and other a events, the >Guildmaster/Mistresses of Each Kingdoms Guilds getting together >to discuss what major project to work on next. Or just talk B.S. > >Frater Morgoth I know of the the Guild for the Nefarious Mariners, PO BOX 109 Nyack-on-Hudson, NY 10960 David J. Most (tipan at pluto.njcc.com) aka Charles deHavlock TAI-PAN of the Noble House, a MARKLAND chapter. Jersery Jousters a chapter of Maryland Jousting Tournament Assoc. PO BOX 5002 Trenton NJ 08638 From: Michael Newton Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Starting a Boat/Ship Building Guild (Innerkingdom)? Date: 6 Mar 1997 01:58:18 GMT > The West Kingdom and Caid have "Royal Navies" (which are their nautical >guilds), and do include those interested in boatbuilding. Someone in >Artemisia was looking at our charters recently with hopes of starting one >there, also. I know AnTir used to have one, as one gentle built a number >of Viking boats, but I believe he's no longer in the SCA. Outlands doesn't >have one YET, but I've been throwing friendly hints in their direction >:-). > Caid has been building coracles, and we'll be working on a small Viking >boat (working up to a small Viking _ship_) this year (scheduling always >hinges on funds, y'know). West has expressed interest in participating if >we get the boat building going in conjunction with the Maritime Museum. > Caid and West met this year at GWW in Caid, and next year we hope to >have a few more boats on the lake :-) (and maybe a few more Navies to >join us? :-) > >--Morgan (Max...sorry, not very eloquent this morning *yawn) > >-- ...with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes... > >Sleepy Cat Graphis http://emporium.turnpike.net/Z/zen/index.html >P.O. Box 608048 - The Church of Zen Fatalism - >San Diego, CA 92160 Artful Things Gallery You can add Calontir to the list. {ok, so we're riverbased, and nearly landlocked, what's your point?} Master Hal, who has his Laurel in boatbuilding, has been declared to be Calontir's Admiral, and is in charge of our Navy, which at the moment consists of his two boats. Lady Beatrix of Thanet Date: 7 Mar 1997 22:02:00 GMT From: ReginaLV Newsgroups: soc.history.living Subject: Re: Medieval Re: Boat Building. Anyone do it? Clan MacColin of Glenderry, a Hiberno-Irish reenactment group in So. California, has built several varieties of Irish-style frame-and-hide boats over the last several years. Coracles and novaghs (sp?) are their specialty. I could put you in touch if you like. E-mail me at ReginaLV at AOL.com. Reg From: J.N.Deakin at shu.ac.uk (Jim Deakin) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Coracles Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 17:06:01 GMT Organization: Sheffield Hallam University Ages ago there were several people enquiring about coracles on this list. This note was posted recently on the canals mailing list, and I thought people might be interested. ------------------------------------------- Return-path: From: Sandy Boyd I thought that it might be of interest to post the following list of events for this year, all of which involve coracles or craft of a similar type. If any are of interest please go along and have a look and a chat. Coraclers are always happy to talk to new faces and 'possible converts' so don't be surprised if someone suggests one as a tender for your boat. Just in case you don't know, coracles are small roundish shaped boats, made of laths with and waterproof skin and are usually propelled using a single paddle at the 'front'. If you want any more information on these events please email me and I will see what I can find out. If you want to know more about coracles in general please email me and depending on where you live in the UK it may even be possible to put you in touch with someone in your area who can give you a demo. The regattas are particularly good fun and at both Leintwardine and Iron Bridge there will be plenty of spare coracles for you to try. If you feel up to it you can borrow one and enter the races. March/April Building of 21ft curragh in Co Mayo Ireland 27th April Coracle Demonstration Baggeridge Country Park 3rd May Coracle handling demonstration, National Museum of Wales May Fair (3 days) 5th May Coracle exhibit Wooden boat show Greenwich 30th May Coracle building course Iron Bridge, Telford (3days) May/June Voyage of the curragh (above) from RedBay Co Antrim to Iona. 14th June Demonstration / exhibition at the Classic Boat Show, Beaulieu (2 days) 14th June Coracle Society AGM, Leintwardine 14th June Coracle Regatta at Leintwardine 21st June Demonstration / exhibition in Gloucester Docks / Waterways Museum (provisional date) 18th July Demonstration / exhibition at Art in Action, Waterperry House, Oxford 7th August Demonstration / exhibition atTrabat Festival, Risor, Norway (4days) August(mid) Moose Hide coracle on Yukon river. Klondike, Dawson City. 17th August Demonstration / exhibition at Exeter Medieval Fayre 23rd August Coracle Regatta, Cilgerran, Wales 25th August Coracle Regatta, Iron Bridge, Telford 30th August Demonstration / exhibition at Dartmouth Royal Regatta 6th Sept Demonstration / exhibition at Hull Sea Shanty Festival (2days) 6th Sept Spey curragh at City Livery Yacht Club Thames sail past 13th Sept Demonstration / exhibition at Severy Valley Wildlife Park. 20th Sept Demonstration / exhibition at Newbury Agricultural Show 1st Nov Coracle Society committee meeting, National Museum of Wales. Check with the organisers first but most of the Heritage Craft Fairs will have Coracle Maker Terry Kenny demonstrating his craft. This list is by no means complete and if anyone knows of other events I would welcome the information so that it can be included in the Coracle Society's list. Sandy -- Sandy Boyd, Distribution Manager Acorn Computers Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1223 725032 Unit 12, Coral Park, Henley Road Fax: +44 (0) 1223 725904 Cambridge, CB1 3EA, United Kingdom WWW: http://www.acorn.co.uk/ From: "Keith Duke" To: Subject: ANST - Fw: info Date: Tue, 5 Aug 1997 10:30:39 -0000 Hadn't seen this on the list, got it from a friend & thought I would forward it... >Date: Mon, 4 Aug 1997 20:28:21 -0500 >From: "Martha K. John" >Subject: Viking voyage > >Hi, folks - > >Since I'm not currently on this list, you may have already talked this >information to death, but just in case you *don't* know about it, here >'tis: > >The August issue of the Land's End catalog includes a four page article >about the building of the Viking knarr "Snorri" for the "Viking 1000" >voyage, supposedly recreating the voyage of Leif Eriksson. The article >includes a reference to the web site, which I have just visited and found >fascinating. Not only have they finished the ship, but they set sail on >July 16 with a crew of 12 from Narsarauq, Greenland to sail a circuitous >route that will eventually bring them to Newfoundland, where Eriksson was >supposed to have landed. The site includes information about the building >of the ship (in a very period manner, as much as practical, and with notes >about what things deviate from the regular period practice and why), about >each of the crew members, about the voyage, about Vikings in general, and >lots of other good stuff. It even has a tracking map so you can see where >they are today. (Still hugging the west coast of Greenland at the moment, >but about to strike off across the Davis Strait, I think.) Anyway, if >you're interested, the site is: > > http://www.Viking1000.org > >Have fun at Pennsic, y'all! > > Alix > Martha K. John > mjohn01 at mail.coin.missouri.edu Piotr Keith Duke - duke at gte.net Piotr Balomirin syn Barsukov, Seneschal Barony of Northkeep (In glorious, green Tulsa OK!) Subject: Medieval Boatbuilding Date: Wed, 28 Jan 98 10:07:58 MST From: Michael Darch To: "Mark.S Harris" Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Has Anyone Out There Ever Built A Coracle??? Help! Date: 8 Apr 98 06:09:38 GMT Organization: Southwestern Bell Internet Services, Richardson, TX ysamingo at aol.com (YsaMingo) wrote: > I've appently lost what little wits I had left and am > interested in (eventually) building a fairly small coracle-- you know, one of > the basket-boats that those pesky Celts used so commonly. ). > I hope to use tarred canvas or something of the like rather than leather, as > hides are so expensive. If anyone out there in the Knowne World can help, I'd > much appreciate it. I've mentioned St. Brendon's boat a couple of times. I finally found my book I was referencing. It is _The Brendan Voyage_ by Tim Severin. My copy is 1978, Avon Books. ISBN: 0-380-43711-2 The author and crew spent 50 days sailing from Ireland to NewFoundland in a Leather boat, built as closely as possible to the descriptions in the writings about St. Brendon. In addition to the account of their journey, the book contains a synopsis of the Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis, translated into English, as well as pictures of their boat, a schematic diagram, and information on the materials that they used. Melandra of the Woods Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 22:55:22 -0500 From: Berwyn Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Stave Church This may be of interest to Norse types. There is a full-size replica of a Norwegian stave church being built at the Hjemkomst Heritage Center in Moorhead, MN (Just across the river from Fargo, ND). We stopped for a look on the way back from an event yesterday, and the sight of it brought tears to my eyes. I'm not sure of the completion date, but it looks like it is getting close. The Center was built to house the Hjemkomst, a replica Viking longship which was built in Minnesota by a man with a dream. He died before its completion, but his son finished the project and the ship sailed from Duluth, MN to Bergen, Norway. If for some strange reason you happen to be travelling the northern tier of states (Interstate 94), a stop will be worth your time. More info on the boat and museum is at http://www.atpfargo.com/hjem/hjemkomst/index.html Berwyn From: excmairi at aol.com (EXCMairi) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Stave Church Date: 19 May 1998 12:10:18 GMT There's also a viking ship being built behind walls next to the Norway Pavillion in Epcot Center, DisneyWorld! Mairi (Duke Gavin peeked behind the wall during a recent visit...) From: J.N.Deakin at shu.ac.uk (Jim Deakin) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Coracle info... Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 13:03:56 GMT Organization: Sheffield Hallam University A couple of times in recent years, there've been requests for general coracle info, and plans. Anyone interested in these boats could do worse than have a look at http://www.aardvark.force9.co.uk/bc001.htm to see the process of building a modern one by someone who's new to the task. Then go to his addendum page: http://www.aardvark.force9.co.uk/bcadd.htm for more useful addresses and links. Niall of Stone Ford (Jim Deakin) From: alban at aol.com (Alban) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Viking Ship article Date: 21 Jun 1999 06:20:08 GMT In the June 1999 (issue 148) edition of "Wooden Boat" magazine, the cover article is "In the Wake of Leif Eriksson: A Viking Ship Replica". Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 19:08:41 -0400 From: "Daniel Phelps" Subject: Re: SC - sailing times If you are really interested check out "WoodenBoat" June 1999 # 148. There is a really great article on a boat some fellows built, a knarr to be precise, then shipped to Greenland from the Maine in the US and sailed it back. Lots of great details. Daniel Raoul mka D.C. Phelps, who braved the Arctic Ocean only once, 5.5 weeks in the middle of summer, I could still see my breath, it snowed flurries in July for crying out loud. Now I live in Trimaris thank you very much. From: kevin_oneill at my-deja.com Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: San Antonio Viking boat Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 06:20:25 GMT gunnora at my-deja.com wrote: > Kevin O'Neill kevin_oneill at my-deja.com wrote: > > Phil Bolger, the naval architect, has a lovely viking boat in his > > book, "Boats with an Open Mind" that he says was commissioned by the > > San Antonio SCA group. Was the boat ever built, either in SA or > > elsewhere? > > Not built yet, they're still raising money. But in my opinion the > plans suck. It calls for marine plywood for the strakes and a hollow > keel faked up with planks. What makes a clinker-built ship that's this > long work is its flexibility, to flex with the waves and not break its > spine, and the heavy keel keeps it upright despite the shallow draft. > > Marine plywood is inpregnated, and doesn't have a whole heck of a lot > of flex. And unless the keel is ballasted internally with something > heavy, the boat will have stability problems -- plus a solid keel is > going to be sturdier. > > It will *look* OK, and probably do OK on Texas lakes. But I don't > think it will survive the ocean very well at all. It's too bad that > the architect was going for looks only, rather than trying to > understand how the actual ships work. > > If you're interested in finding out more, you can contact Thorgard ins > Svarti in Bjornsborg, who commissioned the plans, or other members of > the Ansteorran Longship Company. > > ::GUNNORA:: Thanks for the reply. Do you happen to have an email address for the Longship Company? Re: your comments on the design, perhaps I can stick up for Phil a bit. First, plywood is more flexible than solid wood, not less. In general, glued ply lapstrake is a very well thought of technique for a drysailed or sometimes trailered boat. It will be stiffer than the original, but it will be a one piece boat; I doubt it will break up before it swamps, honestly. I don't know what uses they specified to him, but if it's going to dry out and go back in at all regularly, the original techniques would produce a short lived boat. Especially in fresh water, an epoxy built boat is much less work to maintain, and could last forever. It is less authentic, of course. I don't really think that you could build an authentic boat of this type today, at least not without a fortune to spend. That sort of length in old growth wood is not on the shelf at the Home Depot. In commenting on the keel, are you saying that the original was externally ballasted? I was sure they were internal, beach stone ballasted. Do you have a source on an externally ballasted boat of this type? At any rate, the sail area is so moderate and the ce is so low for a boat with an 8' beam, I doubt they'll have any trouble with stability. In fact, I bet they'll want a topsail. Not trying to be contentious, I just know, from experience, that Bolger's designs work. They go where you point them, they go faster than you think they will, and you spend a year or so after the boat is built discovering all the clever stuff he did in designing it. And, in my experience, when he tries to make them pretty, they take your breath away. If they get the lines right on this it will be beautiful. Thanks for the pointer, Kevin From: gunnora at my-deja.com Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: San Antonio Viking boat Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 14:46:58 GMT Kevin O'Neill kevin_oneill at my-deja.com wrote: > Thanks for the reply. Do you happen to have an email address for the > Longship Company? > > Re: your comments on the design, perhaps I can stick up for Phil a > bit. First, plywood is more flexible than solid wood, not less. In > general, glued ply lapstrake is a very well thought of technique for > a drysailed or sometimes trailered boat. It will be stiffer than the > original, but it will be a one piece boat... And that stiffness is a considerable problem. Actual clinker-built longboats have tarred caulking in between the boards, and the whole boat has a considerable amount of flex, which is one of the strengths of this type of ship. I'm going to list some references below, some of which discuss reproductions of this type and what works and what doesn't. > I doubt it will break up before it swamps, honestly. The design has such a long, narrow shape that it needs the flex, I understand. You can certainly get significant damage to the boat even if it doesn't break up completely. All my reading, and investigation of the several Viking ship reproductions out there (many of which are sailing around America this year in celebration of the Vinland millenium) says that the flexible design persisted for many centuries -- because it works. > I don't know what uses they specified to him, but if it's > going to dry out and go back in at all regularly, the original > techniques would produce a short lived boat. Especially in fresh > water, an epoxy built boat is much less work to maintain, and could > last forever. I dunno. Master Ragnar Ulfgarsson, Lord Zared, Baron Raimond and Lord Erlin du Colvin got tired of waiting for the Ansteorran Longship Company (ALC) to finish building a boatshed before starting their boat and built their own ship, the historical way. It was eventually donated to the ALC and as long as you perform the regular maintenance that I'd expect to do on any sailboat it has been fine. > It is less authentic, of course. I don't really think that > you could build an authentic boat of this type today, at least not > without a fortune to spend. That sort of length in old growth wood is > not on the shelf at the Home Depot. The keel is the hardest part, and even there you can join shorter beams to result in a single keel -- which they did in period. And the strakes along the side were not always running the full length -- they're connected with butt joint and rivets at the intersection in the original ships. There shouldn't be a problem getting the wood needed. The worst problem modern longship builders will tend to have is in recreating the actual cross section of the Viking Age planks. They were splitting logs radially using beetle-and-wedge to produce planks that tended to be narrower on one long edge than on the other, which is helpful in the process of overlapping the strakes. You can, of course, plane an edge of a milled board, but it's a pain in the backside and of course labor-intensive. > In commenting on the keel, are you saying that the original was > externally ballasted? I was sure they were internal, beach stone > ballasted. Nope. The long, heavy solid keel provided a lot of the weight and stability of the boat. It also was necessary in backing up the keelson or kerling ("crone"), a massive block of oak that supported the base of the mast spanning four ribs, and the "mast partner" or "mast fish", the large oval rise in the middle of the boat into which the mast would be stepped. Overall the whole ship was constructed heavier on the bottom, with the plank rows beneath the waterline being 1" to 1.75", while above the water line they might be no more than 0.5". I'm certain additional interior ballasting was used, but the heaviness of the bottom of the boat was an important design feature. Of course, rather than my explaining, let me quote from the good, relatively compact explanation in Wernick's "The Vikings", pp. 79-81 (see cite below): "Most modern ships are built from the inside out, with a more or less rigid skeleton of ribs to which an outer skin of planks or plates is attached. This offers strength at the expense of weight. The Vikings, however, built their ships from the outside in, first forming a thin shell of oak planks and then adding ribs for strength. This gave them a light yet supple and seaworthy craft that seemed to skim the very tops of the waves instead of plowing heavily through them. The secret of Viking success was superb craftsmanship. Their shipwrights paid great attention to the way each plank was cut, and to what thickness. Though saws were known in those times, the Vikings preferred axes, and their skill with a blad approached genius. To preserve the maximum strength of the wood, every tree was split lengthwise into a number of segments, each one running from bark to core; the shipwrights then adzed these triangular segments into uniform planks of the proper length and thickness. On an average vessel there would be 16 such planks on each side of the hull. They would range in thickness from one inch below the waterline to 1-3/4 inches at the water line, and slimming to 1/2 inch at the gunwale. Even the thickest of the planks was thin enough to be bent by hand into the necessary compound curves and affixed to the huge stempost and sternpost; no steam bending was necessary. Working up from the keel, the Vikings joined each plank to the one below in an overlapping fashion known today as clinker, or lapstrake construction. The planks were caulked with twisted and tarred animal hair, then fastened with roundheaded iron rivets spaced 7-1/4 inches apart that were driven from the outside and clenched through small iron plates on the inside. The result was a seal that would remain watertight even as the hull flexed in heavy seas. Once the 32 planks of the hull were in place, 19 ribs formed from naturally U-shaped boughs of oak were placed in the hull. They were ingeniously lashed with flexible spruce-root bindings to knobs that had been left on the inside of each plank when it was first hewn. Crossbeams, anchored to the sides with wooden knees, spanned the hull above each rib to complete the ship's lateral reinforcement and provide a footing for the deck planks. In the center of the hull was the keelson, a massive block of oak into which the base of the mast was set. Spanning four ribs, it was reinforced by another huge block -- called the mast partner, or fish because of its piscean configuration. Three tall crutches stood along the deck from bow to stern and held the yard, sails, or spars when the vessel was under oar power. On the side of the ship were three cleats probably used for fastening the sheet. At the stern was the rudder, or steering oar, 10 feet high and 16 inches wide. Cut from a solid oak board, it turned on an oak block -- the wart -- to which it was attached by a spuce root. Whith typical forethought, the Vikings attached a line to a cramp near the end of the rudder blade, and thus could instantly hoist the rudder in shallow or rocky waters. All that remained were to lay floor boards in the hull and to fashion oar holes (which would be plugged when the ship was under sail). The oars were of pine, and were made in graduated lengths from 17 to 19 feet, so that rowers in the relatively high bow would hit the water at the same time as the men seated lower amidships. At the stern a slightly raised poop was fashioned for the helmsman. At about 75 feet in length, 15 feet in the beam and six feet from keel to gunwale, this long, low vessel weighed only 20 or so tons when fully loaded with men and equipment and drew less than three feet of water." While Wernick carefully stresses the same points I'm concerned with (heavy keel, flexible constructions) for an in-depth discussion of the mechanics of this type of ship you'd want to turn to the "bible" in this field, Br¿gger and Shetelig's "The Viking Ships" (see cite below): KEEL CONSTRUCTION p. 113 "...a shipbuilder in the Viking Era knew how to shape the keel so that it would serve its double purpose perfectly. It reinforces the entire hull lengthwise from stem to stern, and at the same time it gives the ship strength to resist the pressure from below in heavy seas." p. 114 "At the ends of the keel the projecting ridge gives place to a rabbet to which the end of each strake is fastened. The keel, transitional pieces, stem and stern are connected by butt joints. That is to say that the two pieces to be joined are cut at an angle where they overlap, and then they are riveted with sturdy nails, two rows to each joint and four treenails in the upper butt." PLANKING CONSTRUCTION p. 115-116 "Joined to the keel, prow, and stern is the ÇplankingÈ, the ÇskinÈ, which forms the bottom and sides of the ship. The planking of the Gokstad ship consists of 16 strakes, each overlapping the one below, and fastened to it with round-headed rivets driven through both planks from the outside. On the inside the nails are riveted over a little, square iron plate called Çr-È (clinch-plate). Only on a small part of the ship, close to the stem and stern, are the clinch plates on the outside, as there was no room for using the hammer on the inside. With this exception, riveting on the outside was considered slovenly and unsightly. The nails used in the Gokstad ship are about 2/5" (1 cm.) in diameter, and have intervals of about 7-1/4" (18.5 cm.). All joints in the planking are made as butt joints with three nails across, of which the two on each side are driven through the adjoining strake. An old rule in those days was that two butt-end joints should not be placed directly one above the other. Should this happen it was considered a defect, the ship was ÇpiecedÈ.... Another fine point was that the outer end of the butt joint always pointed aft, so as to shed water and ice when the ship was in motion." CAULKING AND SEALING p. 116 "While the planking was being built up, all grooves and joints were caulked with animal hair. Loose, wooly threads, approximately as thick as wool yarn, were spun loosely together into a thick cord, presumably with a thin, hook-shaped twig like those still used with the boatbuilders in North Norway. The caulk was dipped in tar and placed in a groove near the lower edge of every strake, so that it was placed tightly together when the planking was riveted. Every seam and joint was carefully caulked, as were the joints between the planking, keel, stem and stern. The caulking was mainly done while the ship was under construction, but in a few places it was done later, probably after the ship had been put into use. The tarring of the completed ship also contributed to the tightness of the vessel." FLEXIBILITY p. 118-119 "One cannot help asking why this cumbersome method of building ships was still in use in the Viking Era. There was no need to be frugal with iron for nails and bolts; iron was used widely for all kinds of purposes at the time. There can be no doubt that Norwegian shipbuilders could have made a more secure junction of ribs and planking in the ships, as we know it was done in the smaller boats. This peculiar construction of the ships must have had advantages which caused its continued use, and was probably closely connected with an essential feature of the Viking ships, viz., the thin planking, keeping them light and supple in spite of their size. Light, supple ships were easy to row and sail, and also to lay up when they were not in use, as was the custom. If the planking were to be riveted to the ribs, a much heavier structure would be needed to withstand the pressure of the rough sea, otherwise the nails would give way. The Vikings therefore kept up the old-fashioned method of construction which had originally been a necessity, in order to retain all the advantages of a light and supple ship. Ribs and planking connected in the man ner described can give without breaking, and it also increases the elasticity of the ship to the advantage of its sailing performance. In the days of the sailing ships it was well known among the more experienced sailors that an old ship which had loosened a bit in the joints sailed better than new ships, and the same observation was made with the copy of the Gokstad ship which sailed the Atlantic..." RESOURCES ========= Br¿gger, A.W., and Shetelig, Haakon. The Viking Ships: Their Ancestry and Evolution, trans. Katherine John. 1951; Reprint New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1971. Out-of-print, to have Amazon.com do a book search for it (this is where I got my copy) go to: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0900966602/thevikinganswerl Christensen, Arne. "Boats and Boatbuilding in Western Norway and the Islands." in: The Northern and Western Isles in the Viking World: Survival, Continuity and Change. eds. Alexander Fenton and Hermann Palsson. Edinburgh: John Donald. 1984. pp. 85-95. Out-of-print, to have Amazon.com do a book search for it go to: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0859761010/thevikinganswerl Database of Replicas of Nordic Ships. (Includes links to ship projects that have their own websites, and contact information for several of the replica-building groups). http://www.abc.se/~m10354/bld/replicas.htm Accessed 22 September 2000. Johnson, Larry. Viking Ship Plans. http://sjolander.com/viking/plans/ 03 September 1999. Accessed 22 September 2000. The Longship Company. (Located in Maryland, owns and operates two vessels, the Gyrfalcon and the Fyrdraka). longship-company at egroups.com The Mariner's Museum. Boatbuilding at the Mariner's Museum: a series of boatbuilding classes led by the master craftsmen of the WoodenBoat School of Brooklin, Maine. http://www.mariner.org/boatbuild.html Newport News, VA: The Mariner's Museum. 1996-2000. Accessed 22 September 2000. Minersville Area High School Viking Boat Project. http://www.angelfire.com/pa/mhsviking/ Accessed 22 September 2000. Petersen, Ole Crumlin, ed. Sailing into the Past: Proceedings of the International Seminar on Replicas of Ancient and Medieval Vessels, Roskilde 1984. Roskilde: Viking Ship Museum. 1986. (I found this one in the University of Texas at Austin Perry Casteneda Library -- you can probably get it through Interlibrary Loan. *Very* useful.). Siddorn, Kim and Roland Williamson. Viking Ship Construction. Regia Angelorum Webpage. http://www.regia.org/Ships%201.htm March 1999. Accessed 22 September 2000. Warner, G. The rby Viking Canoe. (Plans available). http://www.lp.se/gerrie-warner/canoe.htm Accessed 22 September 2000. Warner, G. A little about building viking boats. http://www.lp.se/gerrie-warner/vikingb.htm Accessed 22 September 2000. Wernick, Robert. The Vikings. Time Life Seafarers Series 7. Alexandria, Virgina: Time-Life Books. 1979. Out-of-print, to have Amazon.com do a book search for it go to: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0809427087/thevikinganswerl (Includes nice diagrams of the boat construction with labels for the names of the various parts, which is nice to use as a companion when reading Br¿gger and Shetelig). Contacts for the Ansteorran Longship Company ============================================ Master Ivar Runamagi, OP (ivar_runamagi at hotmail.com) Master Rognvaldr Tilbuin, OP (rholtz at texas.net) Lord Rolf the Dane (jeffreysbrehm at yahoo.com) Lord Thorgard In Svarti is the moving force behind the ALC, but as far as I am aware he is not electronically connected. Ivar, Rognvaldr or Rolf will be able to put you in contact with him, however. ::GUNNORA:: From: "p.lazet" To: Cc: "p.lazet" Subject: Information about the Mayflower III Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2000 22:25:40 +0200 I write over all the replica's and reconstructions in the world. Till now 255 ships. I know a little about the Mayflower III. I know she is build on the river Thems. Where is the ship build (on the kay or by a Yard. When is the keel layed. When is the ship launched. Who was her buildingmaster? Perhaps you know what was or is the reason that she buid? Is London her home harbour? What is her employment when the ship is back from her millennium voyage to Amerika? Who is her owner? Are the measurs the same as the Mayflower II. Length over all 32,40 meter ~ 106,23 feet. Length on the waterline 24,25 meter ~ 79,51 feet. Breath 7,85 meter ~ 25,74 feet. Depth moulded 5,57 meter ~ 18,26 feet. Draught 3,87 meter ~ 12,69 feet. Sailarea 470,00 m2 ~ 5.222 sq. feet. Thanks for the information. Peter Lazet Jacq. Oppenheimstr. Amsterdam The Netherlands. From: "Soren Larsen" Newsgroups: soc.history.medieval Subject: Re: Small Things Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2006 15:06:21 +0200 kenney at cix.compulink.co.uk wrote: > jacklinthicum at earthlink.net () wrote: >> Trenails seem to have been used on ships and buildings near >> the sea. > > In part that is because iron corrodes faster than properly > seasoned and preserved wood especially in a salt environment. The > corrosion can result in an iron nail expanding and forcing wood > apart. OTOH are treenails more at risk from shipworms which is one reason baltic ships of the nordic tradition would have treenails while the atlantic norse ships would use iron rivets. Ship worm is rather rare in the Baltic due to the low salinity. Soren Larsen From: Chris Zakes Date: July 1, 2007 10:39:29 AM CDT To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." Subject: [Ansteorra] Viking longship story Interesting article on experimental archeology: a group of folks are gong to sail a reconstructed viking longship from Denmark to Dublin. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6248978.stm -Tivar Moondragon Edited by Mark S. Harris boat-building-msg Page 17 of 17