In the Viking age, a wooden ship could be built in just a few hours. There were no compass or sea charts. Island-hopping, star sighting, the way clouds moved over land and wave patterns were all used to guide a ship across the seas.

A well-trained Viking warrior could wield a variety of weapons, but nothing created more “shock and awe” than a battle axe. A recently reconstructed axe from Langeid confirms this.
Oars

The Viking longship was a sail-and-oar ship that predominated in northern European waters for 1,500 years. It was clinker-built with overlapped planks and a square sail, and could be up to 75 feet (23 metres) long. The longship carried the Vikings on their raids and exploration of Europe, Asia, and North America. It was also used by the Northmen as merchants and warships.

The oars on Viking ships were long, heavy, and very powerful. The oars were attached to the end of a rudder, which in turn was connected to the keel via a rod called an oar-post. The oar-post, or oar-beam, was a critical component of the boat because it supported the weight of the oars. The oar-post also helped stabilize the ship when it was turned by the wind or waves.

A master shipbuilder would carve the oar-beam into its shape, using a technique known as riving. Riving created grooves in the wood and allowed for a stronger bond between the oar-beam and the rest of the ship. Riving was more labor intensive than sawing, but it gave the ship greater strength and flexibility. Sawn timber tended to be weaker and less flexible, so it was not suitable for Viking shipbuilding.

When the boat viking was not in use, the oars and oar-post would be stored cradled on uprights located fore and aft. These supports were capped with metal and were secured to the hull with metal rivets. The uprights were also used to support the sternpost, which acted as the center of gravity for the ship.

While rowing gave Viking ships an advantage in coastal waterways and precarious ice fields, it was not the best way to cross an ocean. To make an ocean voyage, Vikings needed to use the power of the wind, and they needed a larger ship with more sail area. This required a greater investment in time and resources, but it was worth it for the Vikings, who valued adventure and wealth.

Another advantage of the oars was their shallow draft, which allowed Viking ships to land anywhere there was a shelving beach. This feature made it easier to disembark during a raid. It also allowed the crew to relieve themselves on a sandy or gravel shore. This is how the beach where Bardur Dumbsson beached his ship in the saga Snaefellsas got its name – “Dritvik” or “Shit Bay.” Archaeological evidence shows that Viking ships were routinely beached, and the Skuldelev finds show wear on their keels consistent with sand and gravel landings.
Sail

In order to create the sail of a Viking ship, wood was split into planks and carved. This process was called riving. It was a time consuming process, and the result was an extremely strong wooden sail. This type of ship would have been very difficult to sail in open seas. It was designed for use in coastal waters and rivers. It was also built for carrying light cargo, such as livestock and food.

The oars were made of oak and were a uniform length. This was because it would have been difficult to splice a long piece of timber together without losing their strength. It is also believed that the oars were made in several stages, resulting in a smooth, even finish. There have been a few finds of iron work axes that have been found in Viking wrecks. The oars of one Viking ship were found to have been lined with shields, which could have been used for protection during raids.

A typical Viking longship required about 58 cubic meters (2000 cu ft) of oak, which would be difficult or impossible to find today. This was enough to make eleven trunks 1m in diameter and 5m long, along with a single 18m trunk for the keel. The keel of a Viking ship was a very important structural component, since it had to be made of a very strong, dense wood. It was also important that the grain of the oak was parallel to the keel.

The Vikings also prized the ability of their ships to sail upwind. They would cut the wood of a ship’s planks in a special way to give them more strength and flexibility. They would use an axe to split the log in a certain direction, which is different from the method that modern saws use. This technique, known as radial splitting, makes the planks stronger by working with the grain of the wood.

In the Viking Age, the boat was a vital tool for transporting men and goods. It was also a symbol of power and status. The captain of a Viking ship would be well dressed and carry a sword. He or she would also be armed with an axe, which was a powerful weapon in battle. A double bladed axe was also a common sight on the Viking battlefield. The halberd was the closest thing to this, as it had an axe head on one side for splitting skulls, and a hook on the other for snagging men off their horses.
Shields

The shields of a Viking ship viking could prove a formidable foe for an attacker. These rounded pieces of animal hide would have made weapons, such as the axes described in this story, have much more difficulty penetrating them. They would have protected the vikings from sword blows, as well as rain and sea spray. They would have weighed about 7kg (15lbs), though they could double in size when they soaked up water from the wind and sea.

Until recently, archaeological studies of shields were limited to fragmented boards. The discovery of the Gokstad ship and burial with its 64 shields has given researchers a new opportunity to study these important artefacts in great detail. Warming, who has studied the shields of other viking ships as well, has discovered that several shield boards have patches of unidentified organic material. He believes that this material might be the remains of a thin, parchment-like rawhide covering, which would have been placed over the wooden shield.

He has tested the shields by cutting them with a replica Viking axe . The unfaced planked shield offered little protection, while the plied shield with its iron reinforcing bars was more resilient, even after being hit by an axe five times.

The surviving wooden shields from the 10th century are made of solid butted planks of spruce, fir, or pine. Literary evidence, however, suggests that linden (Tilia, or basswood) wood was used for shields during the Viking age. Linden is lighter than spruce or fir, and it does not split easily under impact.

Although there is negligible archaeological evidence of iron-rimmed shields, the sagas do mention them. For example, in chapter 14 of Gull-Thoris saga, Thorir is working with his shield hanging at his side when a man named Bljugr attacks him with a spear that glances off the shield and kills him.

As a shield owner, a viking must know how to use his shield correctly to achieve the best results. For example, a shield must be held so that the edge points are aimed at an opponent’s neck or chest. A shield holder should also avoid holding the shield too close to his body. This may lead to a splinter wound.
Cruising pole

A cruising pole, or beiti-ass, was an important part of a Viking ship. It was used to hold the corner of a sail further forward, allowing the ship to sail closer to the wind. A beiti-ass could also be used to help a man navigate the boat. It was also used to help a man get on and off the ship. Unfortunately, no surviving beiti-ass has been found in any wrecks. However, there are a few ships with notched timbers that may have held one.

The Vikings had many different tools for building their ships, including axes and swords. They also used other weapons, including hammers, mallets, drills, and scrapers. They also used a type of wood called riving to create other wooden objects. These tools are often found in Viking graves, where they were left by craftsmen.

It took a large team of skilled workers to build a Viking ship. The master ship-builder started by setting the keel of the ship, and then built around it. These curves – the stem and the stern – determined what shape the ship would be. The master ship-builder was a skilled craftsman who specialized in constructing longships, and it took him several winters to complete his work.

These longships were designed to be fast and slender, so they could sail quickly in the sea. They were fitted with a mast and a square sail, but could also be rowed if there was no wind. The prow of the ship was adorned with a dragon or snake head. Vikings also carried smaller rowing boats, so they could explore ashore without risking their main ship.

In addition to their skill in constructing the ships, the Vikings were adept at navigating them. They knew how to read the weather and the position of the sun and stars, and they could even use their sense of smell to detect the presence of land. They used this knowledge to navigate their way across the ocean.

The company was founded in 1983 by Bill and Bob Healey, who were inspired by the Viking spirit of exploration. Their goal was to make the world a better place through travel and adventure. They were also concerned about a luxury tax on boats that was causing many Americans to lose their jobs. They borrowed working capital and invested their own money to keep the company afloat, and they organized busloads of out-of-work boat builders to demonstrate against the tax.