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A Virtual Look at a VIKING SHIP
The keel, the ship's backbone, gave Viking warriors greater control over their ship's direction. Since the keel supports the entire ship, it is made from the strongest and best quality oak. The keel was sculpted from one single oak tree so that it was thicker and deeper in the center where the greatest weight would be placed. Its tapered ends helped the ship to glide through water.
The unique shape of the hull (the main body of the ship) was what made a Viking ship so formidable. The base of the hull was made as flat as possible so that the ship could sail in shallow waters -- allowing warriors to raid any town along a shore or riverbank. The sides of Viking warships were built high to prevent water gushing in while under sail. But the high sides brought another advantage -- protection from spears and other missiles during sea battles.
Viking ships were built by overlapping the strakes (or planks) and then fastening them together by iron rivets. The strakes were then made watertight by caulking -- packing tarred wool or fur between each strake. This method allowed the hull to flex with the waves, thus avoiding being torn apart. To make the ship as light as possible and, therefore, faster, each strake was made as thin as possible. Although strakes were only about an inch thick, they were very strong because they were cut following the grain of the wood.
When Vikings wanted to go faster, they would switch from oars to sail. Hoisted on the mast, sails were easily raised with ropes made from leather. Under sail and during strong winds, a ship could go as fast as 15 knots or 17 mph! Sails were made from wool or linen, quilted in stripes or a diamond pattern and reinforced with leather and rope. They were often dyed blood red to make the ships look even more fearsome.
The mast held the sail and was attached to a large block of oak called the kerling ("old woman" in Old Norse). The kerling rested on the keel and was fastened to two ribs of the ship, allowing it to evenly distribute the weight of the mast and sail near the center of the keel. Above the kerling was the mastfish, which held the mast erect. The kerling and the mastfish prevented the mast from toppling into rough seas. They also made it possible for the mast to be removed and laid on the deck during high winds and heavy seas so it would not break.
The rudder or steering oar was fastened onto the right side of the ship near the stern and onto the gunwale (the top strake) by a band of leather. Since the helmsman needed to twist the rudder to change the ship's direction, the rudder was fastened further down the hull with a flexible piece of willow branch and through a rib of the ship. This also allowed the rudder to swing out of the water when the ship was beached.
Oars, about 18 feet long, were passed through small circular holes with a diagonal cut through which their blades were pushed. Under sail, oar holes were covered with a wooden plug to keep water out. When rowed, a Viking ship could reach a maximum speed of seven miles an hour.
Shields were placed into a rack that ran along the side of the ship. The shields protected warriors from arrows and spears during sea battles. Like the blood red sail, the shields in the rack were designed to be a terrifying sight.
Viking boats did not have seats for oarsmen. Instead, these warriors probably sat on sea chests. Warships, unlike cargo or merchant ships, did not have storage below deck, so the chests doubled as storage for weapons and other belongings.
The prows of Viking ships were often carved into dragonheads to ward off sea serpents and evil spirits of the sea that the Vikings believed were responsible for sunken ships. Viking warships were nicknamed "dragon ships" because of these boldly painted figureheads.
